And All the Little Deaths Before
by CompanyPolicy
Summary: No, I didn't ask for this. I never wanted this sort of responsibility at nineteen years old. I have to deal with it, though. What I want doesn't matter. Hell, maybe it had to be me. That seems about right. I mean, I really wouldn't trust somebody else to do the job right. Somebody else would get it wrong. It had to be me. I'll do it right. Doctor/OC
1. God's Having A Rave

**This is my first Doctor Who fanfiction. I hope I've written it well and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**I do not own Doctor Who; every bit of it belongs to BBC. I also do not own the song used in this chapter. It belongs to its writers, producers, and the band who sings it. I do own Dahlia Tombew. Please do not steal her.**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!**

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It was the middle of summer vacation. I was home alone. Guess what the power decided to do? If you guessed flick on and off randomly like an asshole, you'd be correct. For the past hour and half, I had checked the breakers, changed every bulb in the house five times, and called the power company six. The phone operator had informed me that nothing was wrong with the power lines and that non one else had called about power surges. On the sixth time they finally agreed to send someone to check the connections.

So, there I was, pissed off and forced to sit and wait while the lights continued to mock me. I'd been sitting there playing Uno with myself for half an hour when I saw a flash of lightning.

I scowled. "Wonderful. First the power goes crazy, now it starts raining."

Tossing my cards down onto the table, I trudged into the kitchen in search of snacks. I had just gotten the box of gushers when there was another flash.

Startled, I nearly toppled from the chair I was using to reach the top shelf.

_Where's the thunder?_ I asked myself.

Another flash of lightning, but I could see where it hit now. The very edge of the backyard lit up like there was a spotlight shining on it.

"Yep. Of course it's my backyard. Why would I even think it wouldn't be?" I muttered jadedly.

Now, I'm not a naturally curious person. I like to stay on the safe side of life most of the time. But not tonight. Tonight I was too pissed off to stay away. As quickly as I could, i got dressed- jeans, t-shirt, converse- grabbed a flashlight and my purse- never know what I'll need- and headed out the back door.

Never before had I regretted having such a huge backyard. Now I did.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have spent so much time preparing. The weather had gotten much worse before I'd stepped outside. Huge gusts of wind threatened to blow me over. My flashlight was nearly ripped from my hands when I reached the halfway mark and it was only getting worse. They only good thing was that it wasn't raining. Yet.

Smaller bolt of lightning rained down from the sky until it looked like God was having a rave. One got a bit too close and forced me to dive left.

Thankfully I wasn't wearing white. A small mercy.

I struggled to my feet, but was shoved face first into the giant oak only a few feet away. My reaction time was better than I thought it would be. My arms managed to get between the tree and my body before I collected a bruised skull. I did earn a bruised forearm and sore wrist.

Peering around the trunk, I realized I should've stayed inside. All the lightning was converging at one spot only fifteen feet away. Electricity crackled across my skin. I could taste it on my tongue. Then the sound started. It sounded like someone was trying to crank an engine but failing. A light flashed among the lightning with the sound.

_Why is that familiar?_ I edged closer until I was braced against the other side of the tree. Useless thoughts raced through my mind as the light brightened and the wind howled. My hair was out of its normal ponytail. I'd lost the hair band somewhere. I had clenched my hands so tightly that my short nails were digging into my skin. I held my breath.

The light had gotten so intense it scalded my eyes even after them were closed. Hair lashed around my face like miniature whips from the wind. Everything led up to one gigantic crescendo . . . that ceased into silence after one deafening explosion of thunder.

Blinking furiously to clear spots from my vision, I finally saw what the lights had concealed.

_What the hell is a police box doing here? Better yet, what the fuck was the lightning storm about?_

Smoke- or steam- spewed off it and into the air. The door shook and rattled piercingly. Whoever-or whatever- was insidewanted out.

_Maybe I should leave._ No success in moving. I was frozen.

The clatter stopped.

Adrenaline and fear rushed through my veins with my heart pumping so fast it threatened to stop.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The scream that nearly wrenched itself from my throat was stopped by coughing and sputtering. My heart had literally stopped for a second. Still gasping, I finally managed to move but tripped on a root and sprawled in the dirt. I curse everything and anything. Today was not my day.

Hiding behind the tree was easy. Did I feel safe? Hell no.

Bang! Bang! Ba-crash!

From the sound alone I could tell parts of the door had cracked and splintered. Smoke-definitely smoke- swirled obnoxiously around my face, invading my airspace and forcing me to breathe it in. Someone stumbled out of the police box. They coughed raggedly before gagging and cursing in some language I didn't recognize.

Taking a risk, I peeked out from my hiding spot.

A man was leaving against the box. He was gasping for breath in between coughing fits and, from what I could see, drenched in sweat. He reached into his left pocket and pulled something out. It was long and slim and had a bright, blue light on the end. It made a soft whirring noise when the man turned it on.

I squinted to get a better look at it. _Is that . . . No, it couldn't be. That guy does _not_ have a sonic screwdriver._

The device flashed twice and beeped. A sneer made its way onto the man's face.

"I know you're there. Come out before I make you."

Okay, I know I'm not the nicest person in the world. I've heard my fair share of insults; but few people had ever spoken to me with that much venom and disdain and even those hadn't frightened me like this stranger did.

Air hissed in and out of my lungs through clenched teeth as i steeled myself. Slowly, I stood and slid around the trunk, keeping my body as close to the tree as possible.

The man glowered at me. Even as sick as he was, this guy sent chills down my spine.

Apparently, it showed because he sneered before speaking.

"Who are you? What do you want?"His sneer grew, if that's possible, "And don't bother lying. I'll be able to tell."

I twitched. I was normally a polite, quiet person but not now. I didn't care who this crazy bastard _thought_ he was. He wasn't going to give me orders.

Giving him my own sneer, I snapped, "I could ask you the same thing."

He chuckled coldly but sobered almost immediately. "Be thankful, ape, that I don't kill you. Unfortunately, I need one of your kind to fix my dimension."

Grunting, he shoved off the box and staggered towards me. He raised the screwdriver, pointed it at me, and pressed a few buttons. Whatever it did, it wasn't what he wanted. He frowned then morphed his puzzled look to a poker face.

"Who is Bad Wolf and where can I find them."

_Fantastic, another friggin' order! And he's asking about Bad Wolf! That's just great. He's stupid _and_ crazy. That's a perfect combination._

Once again my thoughts must've been displayed on my face because the man bared his teeth at me and snarled. "I don't have time for your puny ape mind to comprehend the severity of the situation! Now tell me where Bad Wolf is!"

I pressed myself against the oak so tightly my skull began to ache. I hated being yelled at. I especially hated being yelled at by dangerous lunatics who randomly popped up in my backyard.

I paused to inhale deeply, in hopes that it would calm my rage some. "Bad Wolf doesn't exist. If you're looking for Billie Piper, she's a few thousand miles North East of here in England."

Keeping myself as calm as possible, I ask him who he was.

The man scoffed but seemed to contemplate it. Moments later he answered, "The Master."

Whatever fear I had left while my feature slid into a deadpan expression that screamed "You've got to be kidding." But no, from the look on his face, he was definitely not kidding. And that was just wonderful fodder for my Troll side.

Raising an eyebrow, I asked with an only slightly mocking tone, "You're The Master?"

"The Master" caught on immediately and was back to sneering again.

"If you're done being a pest, you can be a useful ape and _tell me where Bad Wolf is_."

His sharp tone didn't even make me flinch. I was contemplating exactly how this deranged Whovian had gotten out of his mental institution and into my backyard with an exact replica of the TARDIS.

The Master scoffed, "It seems humans are always useless, no matter which dimension it is."

I snorted and crossed my arms. "I could be of more use if you actually explained why you're in my backyard ranting about Bad Wolf and looking like an overall Whovan lunatic."

"What the bloody hell is a Whovian?"

I blinked. Definitely had been expecting that. "Oh, well, um, ya see," I fumbled, "a Whovian is a fan of the shoe Doctor Who."

"Doctor Who?"

"Well, yeah, it's a British TV show about a man, a Time Lord, The Doctor, who travels around the universe in his TARDIS-" I stopped rambling when I noticed the look he gave me; a look of puzzlement, one that questioned my sanity and of general 'what the fuck'. "I thought you knew about it," I trailed off awkwardly to look down and fiddle with my hands.

He scowled, "Why would you think I was apart of one of your stupid human clichés? Rassilon, you apes keep getting stupider."

"It's not my fault you showed up here with an exact replica of the TARDIS and waving a sonic screwdriver around, claiming to be The Master!"

The Master stopped pacing to stare at me. "How do you know this is a sonic screwdriver? And how do you know that's a TARDIS?"

Gritting my teeth, I answered, "It's on the show. The Doctor doesn't like weapons, so he uses a screwdriver. And the TARDIS has always been a police box."

Something changed in his expression. Something shifted in his yes; like something was dawning on him.

"Why has it always been a police public call box?" His tone sounded like he was giving me a pop quiz.

My eyebrows furrowed. What was he getting at? "It has a broken chameleon circuit. The TARDIS first landed in 1950s England, when police boxes were used. The Doctor never fixed it."

He walked closer to me. I nearly backed away until I remembered I was still up against the damn tree. Seriously, why am I still up against this thing?

"How much do you know about my dimension?"

That's what he asked me. My mouth dried up. What if this is real? What if he's telling the truth? What if I'm actually talking to The Master? No. No-no-no-no-no-no-no. No. NO! It's not real. It's a TV show and this guy's nuts. Answer him as a distraction and try to back away.

"Well, I've watched every season out- at least twice. I've seen some more than that. I've researched, read the books, watched the movies- I'm not saying I know _everything_, but I know a good bit."

That seemed to be the perfect distraction. It put him in a thinking whirlwind- that's what I'll call it- because he was suddenly pacing furiously, muttering to himself, jerking at his long, dark hair, and, most importantly, not watching me.

Being as sneaky as possible, I inched right at an agonizingly slow pace and just when only my left shoulder was still touching the tree, The Master spun to face me.

"What's your name?" He took three steps toward me, right hand tightening around the sonic.

"Dahlia."

He sneered. "You're _full_ name, fool."

I bit back an irritated retort. I swear if this guy insulted me one more time- "Dahlia Fae Tombew."

"How is your surname spelt?"

What? Why would that be important? What's so special about-

"I don't have all bloody night, woman!" He shouted.

_Okay. Best not to try the wearing patience of a lunatic._

"T-O-M-B-E-W." I spat out each letter, hoping to make them sting.

The Master's face lit up with malicious delight. A devious grin threatened to split his face in half as he locked eyes with me and swaggered a bit closer.

He stopped a yard away from me. "That's a funny way to spell a name. Don't you agree?"

Oh, so he wants to mock my name?

"If you're going to mock me: at least be original. I've heard that one at least twelve times," I muttered, crossing my arms.

He snorted, "Please, if I were mocking you, if would take you a week to figure out if I was or not."

I pressed my mouth into a thin line to stop myself from lashing out. I substituted rolling my eyes instead.

He tapped his jaw with the sonic; his expression turned playful. "Though, I must admit, I can't believe I didn't notice it before . . ." He trailed off, leaving e to try and decipher his thoughts,

I cocked my hip out. A silent dare for him to finish.

Lifting his chin high- to look down on me even more- and smirking, The Master purred, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bad Wolf."

My posture went slack. My mouth and throat turned to sandpaper.

"What?" I rasped.

He chuckled condescendingly. "Don't attempt to be coy. I've figured you out. You're Bad Wolf."

_Don't panic. Deny it. Maybe he'll listen_. "I'm not Bad Wolf!"

The amusement wouldn't have left faster if I'd insulted his mother. Fury contorted his handsome features into a frightening picture that shot dread straight through my core.

"Yes. You. Are." He was gritting his teeth, trying to control his rage.

_Or maybe he won't. Don't panic. Don't panic. Reason with him._

"Look," I paused to swallow the saliva that suddenly flooded my mouth, "Look, I know you need to find Bad Wolf, but it's not me. I can promise you that. I'm just some southern teenaged girl who's in the wrong place. You have to listen to me. It's a mistake." I didn't care that I was practically begging. He had to understand. He _had_ to!

"No!"

The shout had me back against the oak, stationary with fear.

"It's not a mistake!" He pointed the sonic at me threateningly. "Do you know what I had to do to get here? No, you don't! you don't know what The Doctor and I both sacrificed for this chance! This one chance! To get _one stupid ape_!"

He growled the last time inches from my face.

Short gasp of air went in and out of my lungs. I could barely breathe. I wondered if this was what a panic attack felt like.

The Master whirled away from me to furiously pace while he ranted.

"we worked and toiled over endless calculations! Created theories and then dismissed them soon after! All while our dimension ripped itself apart." He leaned against the TARDIS, digging his nails and forehead into the wood for a moment before spitting out, "Then we figured out what went wrong. An event that was supposed to happen didn't." he shoved off the TARDIS and stalked over to me.

Leaning down to make eye contact, he sneered, "The fate of my entire dimension rests in the ands of one pathetic, little ape. Irony truly is humorous."

By his tone, he really didn't like irony.

This was getting out of control. I needed to run. Now.

"Well, I'm sorry, but unless you can actually prove it, I'm not going to believe it."

That smirk was back full force. "Oh, but I can prove it. You see, the coordinates The Doctor and I ended up with were for this exact spot. So unless there's anyone else in that house who I haven't met yet," He paused and waited for me to refute his guess.

I stayed quiet.

"No?" the Master teased, chuckling, "Oh well."

He fiddled with the sonic again. It clicked twice and the light blinked on, nearly blinding me.

Hissing, I slammed my eyes shut reflexively.

"Apologies," The Master snickered cruelly but turned it down.

"Open your eyes; you'll want to see this."

I hesitantly opened my eyes. After rapidly blinking colorful spots out of my vision, I finally focused on The Master.

His smirk was a victorious grin again as he held the sonic screwdriver loosely.

"This is irrefutable proof that _you_ are Bad Wolf." He proceeded to write in the air.

Once he finished, my name -Dahlia F. Tombew- hovered in the air in glittering light.

_That doesn't prove anything._ I watched carefully while The Master shushed and gave a one word command.

"Watch."

With a flick of the sonic, my name rearranged itself.

My confused expression morphed into a wide eyed look of horror. I gaped at the seemingly innocent sentence my name had formed.

_I am the Bad Wolf_ glowed bright blue in the near pitch black.

The Master waved the sentence away with another flick of the sonic. "There you have it- proof you're Bad Wolf. Any questions?"

_Now you can panic._

_This is bad. This is very bad. This is so bad it makes the Twilight books look like The Holy Grail of literature. It's time to leave. No more stalling. I can probably outrun him; he was coughing at lot earlier, so he might have bad lungs and I left the door-_

Hacking coughs broke me out of my thought.

The Master was doubled over, almost retching into his fist. He hissed and clutched his head while straightening.

"I've wasted too much time here," He scolded, then looked at me. "It's time to leave."

Oh God no.

Swallowing thickly, I stuttered, "A-again, I'm sorry but I c-can't help you."

Oh fuck. He was grinning again. That grin was definitely bad news for me. Every time I'd seen it, things went from bad to worse.

"Who said you had a choice?"

We stared each other down for several moments. Swallowing again, I weighed my options. Though, in reality, I had no other choice. Either I ran, giving myself a chance, or allowed myself to be kidnapped by a madman. I bolted.

Or attempted to. Apparently The Master wasn't impeded enough by his degraded health for me to outrun him. I had only gotten a few feet away when he tackled me and manhandled me back to the TARDIS.

When he drug me through the door, I confirmed it was busted, though busted was an understatement.

Splinters jabbed out in every direction. The lock was missing and so was the wood around it. Even the door handle was barely hanging on by a thread.

"Let go of me, you fucking bastard!" I was shrieking and howling at the top of my lungs. I thrashed and bucked and kicked any way I could but it was no use; The Master had an iron grip on my waist and wrists. Honestly, it was like he'd done this before!

Maybe he had.

"Rassilon! You apes just don't give up," He growled.

I snarled, kicked out and lunged sideways. That was a horrible idea. The Master used my momentum to slam me against the wrecked door, scraping my palms, wrists, forearms, and cheek.

The Master heaved me inside and up the ramp before shoving me into the captain seat. He then rushed around the console, pressing buttons, flipping switches, and flaming two levers down at rapid speed.

Seconds later I heard the grinding gears sound of the TARDIS taking off.

_No._

I leaped from the seat and dashed to the door.

_The door's busted. All I had to do is run out._

And then I slammed into a very solid door.

_Ow._ That registered first. Next was that I was muttering 'No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no' so fast I was impersonating a machine gun. _But he broke the lock! And it's not even supposed to open outwards!_

"Piece of advice: Sit your arse down, woman!" The Master called sarcastically.

Like Hell is I'll-

The TARDIS jerked sharply.

Still standing, I was slung to the metal floor. My head cracked against it and I saw the hemospectrum. Pain bloomed warmly at the back of my skull. I prayed I wasn't bleeding.

_Hey, God? Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that you're an ass. 'Kay, thanks, bye, I thought crossly._

The Master barked out a laugh. "I told you so."

"Go fuck the Slitheen family you alien douchebag," I hissed with as much contempt I could muster.

He snorted and said something but was drowned out by the TARDIS screaming. The console exploded with huge bursts of sparks in three different places one after the other.

"Come on, come on!" The Master urged, "You can make it! If you can survive traveling with The Doctor for over nine hundred years, you can do this!"

Still dazed, I slowly go to my feet.

Only to be tossed into the railing a few seconds later when the TARDIS slammed to halt.

The Master shoved past me and opened the door. He beamed, "Cardiff, early 200s. What're you waiting for? This is your new home! Don't you want to see it?"

I glared at him. Backing away and shaking my head, I flatly informed him, "No."

His face fell. Then he tilted his head in the silent question of 'Why not?'

Taking a deep breath to contain my rage, I started, "You come to my dimension, threatened me, insulted me and my race, and not only kidnapped me from my home, but you have also brought me to another dimension! Now you expect me to prance off into the streets of-not just a city I've never been to- a country I have never stepped foot in like some giddy little school girl on a field trip! You expect me to just do as I'm told when I've been taken from my family and everything I know!"

My knees finally gave out. I fell against the console and slid down to the floor. For a while, I just stared at the metal grating in shock; my thoughts too scrambled to form a coherent sentence.

After I had gathered my wits, I glanced upwards. The Master stood in the door frame. His eyes had lost their malicious cheer and burning hate they had sported for most of the time I had known him. He looked for lost.

_No_, I stopped, _he doesn't deserve my pity._

"Take me home." I had meant for it to come out as a demanding order, instead it was a hoarse plea. Not sure if The Master had heard me, I repeated it and each time I did, it got louder and louder until I was screaming those three words at him.

"It's impossible," The Master mumbled.

My temper flared again and this time, I wasn't going to shove it down. "I don't care how you do it, just do it!"

"It's impossible. The chances of returning to your dimension are in the negative trillions. The journey requires too much power. Even with a Type-100 TARDIS and a perfectly crafted wormhole, we wouldn't be able to get through. The only reason I made it was because I had The Doctor and our dimension was dissolving. There's no way to go back," He rattled.

Defeated, I curled into the fetal position to cradle my forehead against my knees. Why did this have to happen?

The Master shuffled closer. He coughed and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry."

I lifted my head just enough to look him in the eyes. He stared right back.

Snorting with dead laughter, I spat, "No, you're not."

He swallowed. "Yes, I am."

The Master quickly walked to the console. I flinched when he meandered too close but the Master shuffled past me and continued down the hall.

Only a few minutes later, he was back. In one hand was a black leather backpack purse. The other hand he held out to me.

My eyes flickered between The Master's hand and his eyes. He seemed sincere but I didn't trust this guy as far as I could throw him. And that's, like, a few centimeters.

"Please," The Master begged.

Shakily, I took his hand and he pulled me up. I expected The Master to immediately drop my hand but he didn't. When I loosened my fingers, he clutched my hand tighter with his. I could feel him shaking. I tightened my hand.

The Master led me outside the TARDIS but still didn't release me. Instead, he closed the door and leaned on it.

_But it's broken_, I thought irritably.

"I am sorry," The Master squeezed my hand, "I've taken you away from everyone and everything you love and brought you to a place you know nothing about. I'm ordering you to save a world you just gained knowledge of after insulting you. And now, in a few minutes, once the TARDIS and I vanish, I'm going to desert you in a strange place with absolutely no help."

He knocked his head against the TARDIS, staring at the sky before making eye contact.

"I'm sorry-for everything. For what you've already gone through and what you will go through because I brought you here. I'm sorry but I just couldn't allow my universe to fall apart while I did nothing. Though I regret bringing you here, I can't take you back, even if I could cross over again."

The Master handed me the bag. I took it, not breaking eye contact. I tentatively released his hand to put it on. The master reluctantly allowed it.

I still had my purse. I had completely forgotten I had it until now. That was one good thing, at least.

The Master dug around in his pockets while he spoke, "That bag is Dimensionally Transcendental; I assume you know what that means."

I nodded,

"The TARDIS put it together, so I have no clue what's inside it."

Finally, he pulled out a huge roll of British pounds and handed it to me.

"There's a hotel down the street and, you might need this." Out came a slim USB-like device and that, too, was in my palm. "The TARDIS compiled some information from your world that she thought you'd make use of," The Master explained.

He reached into his pocket again, hesitantly this time.

After several moments of contemplating, The Master slowly pulled out a short, thick snake chain. The chain was followed by a fob watch.

The Master sighed deeply before showing the watch to me. "Do you know what this is?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. _A fob watch? Why was that so familiar? It was used with something else . . . Yes!_

"It's a fob watch used to hold the identity of a Time Lord when they use a Chameleon Arch to hide among another species," I rushed out in one breath.

The Master smiled, "I guess you know more than I thought. You're correct. This watch's true power is lost on you because you're human, but I'm hoping it will give you luck."

I understood the bag, the money, and the USB but he didn't have to give me the watch. I always thought it was some sort of personal item and that a Time Lord just wouldn't hand it over to random girls they kidnapped.

The Master was still holding it out to me. I realized he was waiting for me to take it.

Blushing bright red, I fumbled a few second trying to shove the money and USB into my purse. I finally just ripped open a random pocket- nearly breaking the zipper- and crammed both inside.

The Master looked straight into my eyes but it wasn't like the other times. It wasn't condescending or regretful or all knowing. It was pleading for something. But what? What could I give him other than my cooperation?

I was reaching for the watch when it dawned on me. Taking the watch meant I forgave him.

My hand froze inches from the dangling watch. Could I forgive him? Better yet- should I. He kidnapped me, brought me to a different dimension, and had given me orders. He insulted me countless times and now he says he's sorry and asks for forgiveness.

I'd zoned out with my thought so I focused back on The Master. I blinked in astonishment.

The Master just looked so pathetic. His confidence had deserted him. The dangerous and terrifying man I was acquainted with was gone.

Being so used to watching The Master act like the worst creature in the entire universe, this unfamiliar regeneration shocked me to my core. He seemed to feel _so much more_ than any of the ones I'd seen before. It was surreal.

Yes, he kidnapped me and I was still upset about that. Yes, he could've handled it better, but was it really that wrong?

From what The Master mentioned, this dimension had been falling apart. The Doctor and him had worked together relentlessly to find out why; and the why was that Bad Wolf never happened. So, he used the TARDIS to cross into another dimension and find the one thing that could stabilize his world. He needed to fix what was broken. The Master would've taken whoever he believed to be Bad Wolf.

Luck has it that it was me.

The fob watch was heavy and cold in my palm.

Gently, I tugged it from The Master's grip. He swallowed thickly and released it before turning away.

I traced the pads of my fingers over every groove and design on its surface, taking in its beauty. Curiosity finally got the best of me. I opened it and was greeted by a moving clock face. A soft ticking floated out.

I jerked when The Master cleared his throat.

He was holding out a hand and still not looking at me.

"I believe it's time we part, Ms. Tombew," He paused to steady his hoarse, cracking voice. "I don't have much time left and you need to get going."

My heart clenched in pity. He was going to die. The Master was going to die and he was trying to look brave. He didn't want me to notice that he was afraid.

After locking the fob watch to my belt loop and putting it in my pocket, I shook The Master's outstretched hand.

"Thank you for your help. I swear I'll do my best." I tried to smile reassuringly. I don't think I succeeded.

The Mater smiled back just as weakly, "I know you will. And I'm sorry."

Our hand fell limp at our sides; our interaction finished. Neither of us moved, though.

I can't explain why I did what I did next.

I shuffle closed to The Master, leaned up, and kissed his cheek.

While pulling away, I noted his shocked- bordering on horrified- look. I winced and tried to stutter an excuse.

"I-I'm sorry! I don't know why I did that! You're about to die or something so you obviously don't want to be touched by an ape! I'm _so _sorry!"

_Oh my fucking God! Why did I do that? Why? Do I have a death wish? I didn't think I did but I apparently-_

My inner freak out/horrified rant would've continued if not for the hand threading itself through my hair and jerking me forward.

"Wha-" The Master's mouth silenced my question.

At first, I just froze. The Master didn't seem to care. He was a good kisser, I wouldn't deny that, but it wasn't like any kiss I had experienced before. It was rough, passionate, and slightly desperate. Oh, and dominating, can't forget that.

While one hand busied itself with twisting in my hair, the other clasped my jaw with almost bruising force. The Master twisted to deepen the kiss and to bite my bottom lip.

Should I kiss back? Should I just let him continue?

Around the time The Master attempted to shove his tongue in my mouth, he noticed I wasn't responding. He pulled away briefly, and then loosened both his grips before kissing me again.

This kiss was much softer, timid even. It was still desperate but I didn't feel like he was trying to bite my lips off.

I kissed back- just a bit of pressure to assure him this was all right.

The Master asked for permission this time. Albeit, it was such a faint flick of his tongue I almost didn't feel it.

My lips parted just enough for his tongue to slip in.

The Master didn't immediately initiate a game of tonsil hockey. First, he mapped every tooth, every crevice; every slope as deliberately as possible, even going so far as to dip into the spot beneath my tongue. Only after what felt like eternity did he slide against my tongue.

I twisted mine around his and roughly sucked it into my mouth. I wanted some of that fierceness from the first kiss but The Master was being cautious and gentle. He was scared again and I wasn't having that.

Both arms were around his neck, jerking him closer so _I_ could assault _his_ mouth.

At first The Master allowed me to dominate him. That changed when I pressed him against the TARDIS.

He fought back (finally) until he forced me to submit to a slower kiss.

I broke away for air. Satisfaction flooded through me when I caught sight of the Master's flushed cheeks and heaving chest.

"Feel better?" I smiled devilishly.

He chuckled. "Yes, I do."

We broke apart so I could prop myself up to his right.

I closed my eyes and took in the silence.

"Thank you."

"No problem," I hummed.

A few more seconds of silence passed.

"How long do you have?"

I felt him stiffen next to me. Maybe I should've been more subtle.

He cleared his throat. "Five, maybe ten minutes."

"You seem fine, though." I frowned, turning to look at him.

He barked out a bitter laugh. "The calm before the storm- how do I explain this to someone with very little understanding of traveling through dimensions?"

I sucked on my front teeth, "I find it helpful to just ramble and let the moron ask questions after."

The Master smirked. "Just for that I'll take back every stupid ape comment. Let's see if you can keep up, though.

"Time Lords used to travel between dimensions frequently, but with Gallifrey and the Time Lords gone-"

I interrupted, "I know that. Traveling between dimensions became impossible."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," I smiled sheepishly, "The Doctor went to another dimension by accident once."

He nodded.

"It is impossible now. We had to run nearly two point four trillion numbers for we got the sequences that would allow us to cross dimensions on purpose," The Master explained further.

"One in a million chance?" I joked.

He licked his lips, "When we finally succeeded, The Doctor was going to come with me but, before he could, a rip appearance."

He looked up, silently asking if I needed more explanation.

I shook my head.

"It trapped him. He couldn't get to the TARDIS. I couldn't leave him so I stayed. Tried to. The Doctor told me to leave. He said that if I waited for him the chance was gone. I left. I ran. I managed to cross into your dimension but not without a price. In your world, we're on the telly. We don't exist there. Making something exist in a dimension it doesn't exist in is dangerous, not to mention illegal.

"When I did that, your dimension fought back. It started breaking me apart-atom by atom."

I winced. "Like white blood cells fighting an infection."

The Master snorted, "Yeah."

"That must hurt. If it's stopped hurting then it's entered the final stages, right?" I questioned.

He nodded. "Soon I'll fade from existence."

"There's nothing you can do? Nothing at all?" I knew it was hopeless; it showed in my tone, but it never hurt to ask.

The Master sighed tiredly, "No, this TARDIS and I are from a doomed timeline. Even if your dimension hadn't fought back, this one will still wipe us out of existence."

"Because with me here, you'll never exist," I deadpanned.

More silence-this time a mourning one.

"Fuck," I groaned miserably, "Fuckity fuck, fuck, fuck motherfucking fuck."

"You have such an elegant way of putting things, Miss Tombew," The Master teased, his mouth curling into a slight grin.

Snickering, I replied, "That's me-picture of elegance. And call me Dahlia. Friends use their first names."

That seemed to strike a chord with him. He swallowed then cleared his throat.

"Do," He stumbled before righting himself, "Do you know my name?"

I blinked and muttered 'yes'.

"Call me that," He muttered. Then he added a begging 'please' to it.

A small smiled sneaked onto my face. "All right, Koschei it is."

The Master-_Koschei_- smiled. "It's been so long since anyone called me that."

We sat in silence again. I started humming a random song that I couldn't remember the name of.

"You should probably get going."

I tilted my head to shoe him I was listening.

"That hotel down the street has plenty of rooms open, I made sure. You need to go book a room and get some rest. You're going to need it," Koschei repeated, motioning to the opening of the alley.

I sucked on my teeth again before stretching noisily. A satisfied groan left me as I collapsed against the TARDIS again.

"Nah, I think I'll stay here a while longer," I dismissed his serious tone easily.

Koschei relaxed, reassured that I wasn't going to run off that easily. Licking his lips and smiling, he laced his fingers through mind and squeezed.

"Thank you," He whispered gratefully.

I smirked, "No need to thank me. Not like the hotel is going anywhere and I don't have a place to be."

Sighing, I asked, "You know what the worst part of this clusterfuck is, Koschei?"

"Clusterfuck?" Koschei asked wryly.

I pouted, annoyed. "Please tell me you've kept up with human lingo enough to know what a clusterfuck is."

He laughed, "I believe I can deduce what a clusterfuck is, Dahlia."

Once again beaming, I continued, "Good because I'm crap at explaining things. If I try to explain it, it'll either be so dumbed down you'll be insulted or a jumble of nonsense even your Time Lord brain wouldn't understand."

"You were saying about the clusterfuck?" He prodded.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, got distracted. The worst part is that the first time you're not a complete asshole, you have to fade from existence," I whined.

"The universe is a bitch."

I burst out laughing and continued to do so until Koschei joined in and we were both gasping for breath.

After we were out of breath, wheezing, and wiping tears off our faces, I giggled out, "Dear God, only met you a few minutes ago and I've already corrupted you. I should probably be ashamed."

"You should, you horrible, despicable human," Koschei snickered.

In the most serious voice I could muster, I said, "I have no shame."

He looked at me like I-Totally-Didn't-Know-That.

I smiled innocently and returned to humming.

Again with the damn silence.

"Can you hear them? They're coming. They're in the signal; they're in my head," I sang softly, breaking that damnable silence.

Koschei tightened his grip on my hand, showing me I had his attention, but he didn't look at me.

"Is it only me?" I continued, "Am I the only one to be called? This pounding in my ears is calling me to rule the world."

His hand tightened again. Mine did as well.

My voice slowly increased in volume, "Rule the universe as a Master of your fate. Can you her the drums? Don't try to fight them; it's too late."

The fingers of my right hand tapped out the steady beat.

One-two-three-four

"Each Time Lord child."

Koschei constricted his grip until it became painful. He then let go.

One-two-three-four

"Approaches the eye."

He pulled me into a tight hug that I immediately returned.

One-two-three-four

"Forced to behold the vortex."

I gathered my things and started walking.

One-two-three-four

"To be inspired or run."

Right as I got to the mouth of the alley, I turned around. Koschei stood in the doorway of the TARDIS. He didn't say anything, nor did he move toward me. We locked eyes and the entire world froze.

One. Two. Three. Four.

"But as I gazed into the vastness of time."

Koschei entered the TARDIS and closed the door.

My feet were planted in the ground. I couldn't move. I didn't want to.

The police box flickered in and out of sight quickly- like I'd blinked but I hadn't. it happened again but slower this time. And again and again. Slower each time.

One . . . Two . . . Three . . . Four . . .

"The sound of drums." My voice rang off the brick walls.

I turned on my heel and left the alley.

Funny thing was, as I walked down that dirty Cardiff street on an unknown date, I realized that in those last few moments of The Master's life- I'd heard the drums.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I won't beg for a review, but it would be greatly appreciated. Everyone enjoys feedback and constructive criticism!**

**Oh, and I issue a challenge: Try and identify the song Dahlia was singing. If you can you get an Internet!**

**I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I've started on it, but with school starting back I won't be able to work on the story as much as I'll want to. All I know is that it won't be as long as this one was.**

**Again, thanks for reading!**


	2. Waiting Game

**I've finally finished chapter two! It's shorter than the first one, but I already told you that it would be. Sorry if anyone's disappointed. Anyway, thank you for reading and enjoy.**

**I do not own Doctor Who. I do own Dahlia, please do not steal her.**

* * *

"Could you tell me what the date is?" I asked the desk clerk.

She stared at me.

I must've made some picture: a roughed up, teenaged, American girl with only two bags paying for a room with a wad of quid. So I had either been kidnapped, gotten _really_ drunk the other night, or I was a criminal of some sort.

"March second," She frowned worriedly, "Are you okay, miss? Do I need to call someone?"

God, this was going to sound horrible.

"What year?"

She looked taken aback, so taken aback that she paused in handing me my room key.

"2004; Miss, I can call someone. They can be here in a few minutes." Her free hand twitched toward the phone on her desk.

I took the key card and smiled reassuringly, "thank you, but ti's been taken care of." Then I calmly left the lobby to find my room.

_I've seen worse_, I thought, regarding the room with little interest. It was a plaint room in pastel colors with a twin bed and a connecting bathroom. Nothing special. Instead, my attention was directed at every aching part if my body; especially my burning and stinging arm.

I didn't want to do inventory. I didn't want to look at my wounds. With all the adrenaline gone, all I wanted to do was sleep, but I knew I couldn't. Least I could do was take a shower.

Shucking my clothes off as carefully as I could, I made my way to the bathroom. Before stepping under the water, I checked my arm.

There wasn't any blood, but there would be once I removed all the splinters. Deep blue flecked up and down my forearm and hand. Most weren't that large. Two or three, though, seemed about half an inch long. I managed to remove those with my nails.

A soft moan escaped when I stepped under the scalding water. Tension leaked out easily, but attempting to wash my hair brought it back. Several minutes and a wad of hair later, I was back to scrubbing and relaxing under the spray. Forty-five minutes in, I managed to drag myself out.

It dawned on me that I didn't have a change of clothes.

_Fuck it, not like I haven't slept naked before._

Sleepy from the war water, I stumbled to the bed and flopped on it. Any invigoration the shower had created disappeared as exhaustion set in once more. I wiggled weakly to get under the sheets. Seconds after shutting my eyes I was asleep.

Eleven hours later I woke up.

Even though I was awake, I couldn't actually move without searing pain shooting through me until an hour later.

At 4:27 I sat Indian style on the bed, still completely naked, to take inventory. Opening my purse, I dumped all the contents in front of me, making sure to empty every pocket. One slim, brightly colored box caught my attention.

I blinked in astonishment.

Of all the things . . . A smiled slowly spread across my face. Giggles welled up in my chest before bursting from my mouth.

The box of gushers rested amongst gum and candy wrappers, a bag of watermelon jolly ranchers, my MP3, a tube of lip gloss (also watermelon flavored), a few pens, and a book.

_I guess I was in such a rush that I just shoved it in_; I noted when my giggles had died down. But the smile was still there.

A search of my wallet produced thirty-seven dollar and eighty-four cents. Added with the money Koschei gave me, I had seven hundred twenty-four quid, with some change. It was a good bit of money to start off with but it wouldn't last long. Getting money was definitely at the top of the priority list.

I opened the bag the TARDIS put together and reached in. my fingers touched cloth and, confused, I pulled it out. A shirt? It was white T-shirt with short, block sleeves. There was a design on the front, too.

"Oh-oh my God," I snickered, "TARDIS, how do you know me so well?"

The Black Knight from Monty Python's The Holy Grail- with his right arm cut off- was proudly displayed rocking out on some turntables with the words 'Tis But A Scratch' underneath the picture.

Setting the shirt aside, I reached in again to pull out a pair of comfortable feeling jeans, in my size, underwear, and a bra.

"Thank you, TARDIS." My grin faltered when a thought crossed my mind. "Although, it is pretty creepy that she knew my exact size in _everything_," I muttered, glancing at the tag on the bra- 36C, exactly right.

The thought of getting dressed cross my mind.

And was then crushed and the little pieces shoved off a cliff. To hell with that! I enjoyed walking around naked when I could.

Some more rummaging produced a banana, a tooth brush, toothpaste, three bottles of water, a pill bottle with odd little medication, a laptop and charger (I struggled several minutes to get the computer out), fifteen different hair bands, a medical kit, and a bag of Granny Smith apples with a curious little note that read: Use wisely.

My arm was now buried up to my shoulder as I dug around. A slim tube drifted to my hand.

"Let's see what you are," I mumbled, retracting my arm.

Blinking, I stared blankly at the object I now held/

I had pulled out a sonic screwdriver.

It looked just like the one the ninth and tenth Doctors used: slim and shiny silver with a blue light at the end.

Amazed, I turned it over in my hands. "Wow," I whispered, "A real sonic screwdriver."

Biting my lip, I couldn't resist the temptation. I clenched the sonic in one hand and directed it at the chair in the far corner. Nothing happened for several long moments, but then a stinging pain erupted from my index finger.

Dropping the sonic with a shocked cry, I brought the injured appendage close to examine it. A small drop of blood had welled up.

"What the fuck?"

I glared at the screwdriver. A needle stuck out from where my finger had just been placed.

Cautiously, I picked it up to get a better look at the needle.

It disappeared back into the sonic and reappeared in another spot, succeeding in stabbing me for a second time and getting more blood. The needle retracted again while I dropped the-apparently- hostile device. Again.

"Fuck you, too," I grumbled.

The needle hadn't gone too far in, just enough to draw a few drops of blood from each puncture.

It reminded me I needed to inspect my wounds from the night before,

_I'll do it in a few minutes_, I mentally promised.

I hesitantly reached in the bag. Something practically slammed into my hand this time. Whatever it was felt like a larger version of a sonic screwdriver, but I doubted the TARDIS gave me two. Even with my doubt, I readjusted y grip to two fingers and slid the object into the open. What came out was both shocking and unsurprising.

_Why would the TARDIS give me this? Would I need to use it? Did she think I'd use it? Or did she just want me to be prepared for everything?_

The laser screwdriver dangled menacingly in my loose grip.

Sighing, I muttered, "I'll just put you over here for now," and went to place it next to the sonic.

Sharp pain signaled I'd been stabbed another time.

Hissing out as many curses as possible, I let the laser fall to the bed. It clattered noisily against the sonic.

Thinking bitterly that I should've seen that coming, I re-examined my finger.

There wasn't a third drop of blood, but one was now larger than the other. The laser's needle had gotten me in the exact same place as the first one. That puncture burned twice as badly than earlier.

"Note to self: Sonic and laser screwdrivers bite." My tone was sour, punctuated by the scowl on my face.

I didn't want to continue my search through the bag. Who would after being stabbed three times by two different objects from it? Unfortunately, I had to make sure I knew all my resources.

When I grabbed the bag this time, I didn't plunge my arm in. instead, I turned it upside down and shook it.

Nothing came out so I shook it harder.

Finally, an index card sized piece of paper fluttered out. It was shortly followed by what looked like a key.

"Okay, so a piece of paper and a key," I mused, "Why would the TARDIS give me a piece of paper and a key?"

Picking up the paper, I turned it over in my hands. There was nothing written on it. It was just a blank scrap of paper.

I started muttering to myself. "Paper . . . paper . . . special paper? Maybe. What kind of special—"

I grinned when it dawned on me. "Of course! Psychic paper! She gave me psychic paper! That'll definitely come in handy."

Psychic paper now moved to the side, I picked up the key and examined it.

It was a spade key and it strongly resembled the ones used by the Third, Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Doctors.

No, wait. I frowned and flipped the key over continually, making sure to scrutinize it from all possible angles.

It was the exact same key! I had a key to the TARDIS! Euphoria swept through me. This was even better than the sonic screwdriver! An actual key to the TARDIS! She trusted me enough to give me a key!

"And aren't you gorgeous," I complimented, watching the silver twinkle in the light.

Apparently, those are the words to initiate contact with the TARDIS, because the key glowed hotly. I yelped in surprised and pain. Immediately I dropped the key.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "What is with all the stabbing and singeing? Are Time Lords masochists?"

The first aid kit made even more sense.

Snorting, I muttered, pulling the kit toward me, "At least she thought ahead."

* * *

One hour later I was property bandaged, sanitized, de-splintered, and dressed. After my final count-something that took much longer than I had anticipated- I had seven bruises of differentiating sizes and colors, five scrapes, all of which were on the same arm, a goose egg on the back of my head, and two punctures on my right index finger. I had actually suspected the damage would be a lot worse. Koschei had given me a bit of a beating before getting friendly.

While I packed my belongings, I listed my top priorities:

Money was definitely the top priority. The large roll of quid Koschei gave me wouldn't last long, even if I knew hot to be frugal.

Shelter came second. I couldn't just stay in this hotel for a year. That decision would end up being both suspicious and expensive.

After shelter came food and water. Altogether I had three water bottles I could continually refill, a box of gushers, a banana, a bag of apples, and a bottle of nutrients pills that would, apparently, sustain me like a three course meal would. I still wasn't sure if those were safe for human consumption.

Then I needed a cover story. I couldn't just walk around Cardiff without some explanation. The woman at the front desk already thought I'd been kidnapped. And I wouldn't be able to get a job without information, either. How was I going to accomplish that anyway? I didn't have the equipment or knowledge to counterfeit the necessary papers.

_No_, I reprimanded, one step at a time. _I'll worry about that when I get to it._

All that left was finding The Doctor. It was 2004 now. It would at least be a few months before he showed up for the Nestene Consciousness.

How do I get him to take me with him?

Now that was a good question. What did all the other companions do to grab the Doctor's attention?

"They showed him they were brilliant," I mumbled. A smirk slowly split my mouth.

"I think I can handle that."

* * *

Turns out I didn't need to worry about much. The TARDIS had thought of everything.

On a whim I had pointed the sonic screwdrivers, after making sure I wouldn't get stabbed again, at an ATM. Bills had flown out of the machine at rapid fire speed. Soon a huge pile had formed on the ground. Alas, there was a police officer around at the time, so I couldn't grab any of the money. Next time I tried, I was extra careful.

I also didn't have to worry about a cover story or information. The USB Koschei had given me contained everything I would need.

Two weeks in and I had more than enough money, a good sized flat, a cover story, and a pending job at Henrik's.

With the weight of my checklist off my mind, I did some research.

I found out I didn't exist in this world. My parents were together; my older sister existed and so did my younger brother, but I didn't. I hadn't been born. Dahlia Fae Tombew didn't exist.

_I wonder if this is how Rose felt in Rise of the Cybermen._

Rose did exist. At one point in time. Nineteen years ago twin girls were born to Pete and Jackie Tyler. Ashley and rose Tyler were their names. Unfortunately, there were complications. Rose Tyler died two years after birth.

I hadn't been expecting that.

Actually, I hadn't known what to expect, but that wasn't it. Maybe she'd never been born or wasn't as brave as she was in the show but not _that_. Rose had been alive. A problematic birth killed her before she grew up; before she met The Doctor; before Bad Wolf or Canary Wharf.

Even though I never really liked Rose's character, I never would've wanted that to happen to her.

Several questions had been answered, but others formed.

Why had Rose died? Was it because this time she'd had a twin? What was Ashley like? Would she be anything like Rose?

Quickly, I decided Ashley would be nothing like Rose; if she was then I wouldn't be needed. Ashley would've simply taken Rose's place with The Doctor.

I prayed she wasn't like her mother.

* * *

The telephone made a soft clack when I set it back in its cradle.

Henrik's manager had called to tell me I had gotten the job and I started tomorrow.

I plopped down on the couch and sighed roughly. This was it. I had done everything I could do to prepare for The Doctor. Now all I had to do was wait.

An annoyed huff rose from my chest. I pouted and glared sourly at the television.

I hated waiting.

* * *

**That was much shorter than I anticipated. Again, I am sorry it's so short. I hope you enjoyed it anyway.**

**Reviews and follows are always welcome! I love to hear what you think of the story so far!**


	3. First Meeting

**Sorry for taking so long to update. School and Band have been taking my time away. Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading.**

* * *

Several months had passed since I'd first appeared in this dimension. I'd effortlessly fit in with the people around me and no one questioned me whenever I would peek around corners or stare at the sky for extended periods of time. It helped that I presented myself as weird. Odd behavior became the norm for me.

"Hey." Someone waved a hand in front of my face. "Hey, Dahlia. Dahlia!"

I snapped out of my daze, blinking.

Ashley tilted her head and stared at me. "Are you okay? You kind of zoned out there."

"It's called thinking, Ashley, you should try it some time," I scoffed.

I moved to another shelf and continued to fold shirts.

She snorted and smiled. "I would, but you do enough thinking for the both of us."

_And then some._ I rolled my eyes.

Ashley wasn't like Rose in a few ways. She was stubborn, nosey, flirtatious, and liked to overreact, but that's where the similarities stopped. Ashley wasn't brave or a quick thinker. She liked living in a box. Everything could be explained in some rational way; there were no such things as aliens or time travel. She got freaked out easily. I was actually surprised she became my friend since many of my interests danced outside her box.

Ashley also didn't look exactly like Rose. Her lips were thinner; her face wasn't as round; her eyes lighter in color. Her hair was blonder and shorter, too. It ended perfectly straight and right at her jaw, as did her bangs above her eyes. Ashley was taller, about 5'9", and less curvy than Rose, too. She also had a habit of always wearing something _Hello Kitty_. Today was a bright pink headband with a bedazzled Hello Kitty face on its left side.

"Oh thank God, I'm ready to go home!" Ashley's lighter, more airy voice broke my muse.

I turned to her. "What?"

She gave me an annoyed look. "Five minutes until closing. They just said it over the speakers. Didn't you hear it?"

With a cheeky smile, I replied, "Sorry, I was thinking again."

She smacked my arm, telling me to shut up.

_Not to mention that innocent air she has about her, even though I know she isn't._

I slung my bag over my shoulder. It was the same bag Koschei had given me. I rarely, if ever, let it leave my person. Never knew when I'd need something from it.

When we got to the door, we were stopped by the security guard. He waved the bag of lottery money in Ashley's face.

She rolled her and snatched it.

_If she's that annoyed by it then she should've just let me deliver it in the first place_, I grumbled to myself.

Ashley had been chosen to deliver the money and I, being the awesome friend that I am, had offered to do it for her. She had politely declined my offer even though she complained about it nonstop for weeks afterward.

Sighing dramatically, I stepped away from the door, turned on my heel, and started walking with her.

"What're you doing?" Ashley asked, exchanging her pouting look for one of confusion.

"I'm going with you, because if I don't, you'll whine about having to go down the creepy basement by yourself to Mickey and then I'll have to listen to Mickey bitch at me about letting you go alone."

She snorted. "I'm not a child, Dahlia; I can go deliver some lottery money by myself."

"Oh please, you have the mentality of a five year old," I snickered.

She smacked me again. "Shut up and go home. You don't need to treat me like a child."

I laughed, calling out, "Call me later!"

Ashley smiled and waved.

Passing the security guard to leave, I told him, "Oh yeah, the manager told me to tell you to get everyone else out of the store and leave early."

He raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Really?"

I rolled my neck and continued, "Yeah, he has to go somewhere today ad needs everyone to go home. Wilson's locking up today."

He still didn't believe me.

With a final shrug, I said, "If you don't believe me, you could always go ask him yourself. Though I don't think he'd be too happy."

The guard mulled this information over while I just stood there inspecting my nails as casually as I could and praying to God this guy bought my lie.

Finally, he nodded. "All right, I'll everyone. Thanks for telling me."

I beamed. "No problem! See ya tomorrow!"

I skipped out the door and down the street.

Only a few blocks away, I ran into somebody. I could say it wasn't my fault, but it totally was. Honestly, skipping is dangerous. You should put a blinking sign to warn people that you're about to skip-that's how dangerous it is.

We collapsed with me on top in a tangled of limbs.

"I am so sorry! That was completely my fault! I wasn't looking where I was going!" I continued to apologize while I clamored off him.

He laughed, "Don't worry about it. No harm done."

As I helped him up, I saw what he looked like. Every inch of me froze.

"Something wrong?" he asked, that huge grin threatening to split his face in half.

I couldn't help but smile, too. The Doctor's smiles always were infectious. I shook myself out of my stupor.

"No, sorry, thought you were someone else," I excused. I couldn't reveal who I was yet. Explaining would take time he didn't have right now. Speaking of . . . .

Smiling sheepishly, I released his hand and, rocking back on my heels, said, "I should let you get going. You probably have more important things to do than stand here talking to me."

The Doctor's eyes became unfocused for a few seconds while he thought. Then it seemed to dawn on him where he was supposed to be right now.

"You're right! I do. Thanks for reminding me!"

I smirked and raised an eyebrow. Rude. Rude and not ginger. Or perhaps just oblivious.

He moved around me, still grinning madly. Before he got too far away, I called out to him.

"It was a pleasure meeting you!"The Doctor turned around and waved.

As soon as he wasn't facing me anymore, I took off, checking alleys as I went.

Three alleys down, I found it.

The TARDIS stood at the end of the alley, unassuming and bluer than I remembered. Smiling brightly, I dashed toward her. I skipped to a stop just in front of the doors. I was suddenly gripped by nerves. What would I say to her? Would the key work? Would she let me in? Would be like me?

_I never noticed it before but most of my inner monologues consist of questions. I should stop that._

Only one way to answer those questions.

Gripping the chain around my neck tightly and pulling it off my neck, I revealed the spade key. The fingers of my left hand stroked the blue wood while my right clutched the key.

"Hello, you might now know me, but we've met before. Technically it would've been your future," I explained, "That was a doomed time line though. Not to seem obnoxious or anything but since I was brought here to keep the universe from collapsing, that time line became inadequate and disappeared."

I brandished the key for her to see. "You gave me a key; although, I don't understand why you gave me a Spade key. The Doctor switched back to Yale keys sometime in his Eighth regeneration. I'll admit that I prefer the Spade design over the Yale. It's much prettier."

My gaze drifted from the key to the lock. "Do you mind?"

I uncovered the lock and paused, taking a deep breath, before sliding the key in and turning.

The sound of clanging tumblers and cogs was music ending in a click.

Or it would have if the door hadn't just swung open on its own.

_Well then, that answers at least one question_, I thought joyously.

The inside of the TARDIS was now revealed to me.

All of time seemed to stop. I couldn't speak. I couldn't think. I swear I stopped breathing momentarily. I'd never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life. This was much better than anything I'd seen on TV.

Gliding up the ramp, I gaped in wonder at everything. When I first thought of meeting The Doctor and stepping foot inside the TARDIS again, I had thought it would be anticlimactic. Everyone on _Doctor Who_ made it out to be some magnificent event. I thought they were overreacting, but now I know they weren't. Just standing here in the console room, they the TARDIS humming welcomingly around me, it stole my breath away.

Soon, my wonder was replaced with giddiness. I stroked the console, caressing every button and lever with more affection than I thought I possessed.

Irony reared its head.

I snorted. "The first time I was here I didn't get to marvel at how utterly fantastic you are, of course, I had just been kidnapped. I guess that's a valid excuse. Either way, I apologize."

Realization slammed into me. I smacked my forehead. "Damn, I'm being rude. I practically invited myself in, and I haven't even introduced myself," I scolded myself.

Turning to the large column above the console, I made up for my rudeness. "My name is Dahlia Tombew, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss TARDIS."

She hummed louder. Happiness and amusement tickled the back of my mind.

Smiling, I responded, "I'm glad you find me amusing."

Circling the console led me to another idea. "Would it be too much trouble to ask if you could warn me when a blonde woman, taller than me, with a _Hello Kitty_ headband runs past this alley?" I dug out a picture of Ashley and me, "She looks like this."

A screen to my right flickered on. The street outside came into view. People mulled on the street, unaware of the beautiful blue box.

"Thank you."

The TARDIS hummed a question at me: _Why?_

"The Doctor's going to blow up Henrik's soon. After he does that, he'll come back here. I need to be gone before then. Ashley will run past here seconds after the explosion. She'll be my cue to leave," I explained.

I moved back to the captain's chair and sat down.

Shifting into an Indian style sitting position, I thought out loud, "I guess I should also explain how I know that."

The TARDIS buzzed in acknowledgment.

I took a deep breath and tried to find the best place to start. She nudged my mind gently, as if saying to start at the beginning.

"That's so cheesy but all right. I'll try." I calmed my giggles and began my story.

* * *

Several minutes later, I had finished and was waiting for the TARDIS' version of a reply.

A comforting veil fell over my mind- like a warm hug- which was immediately followed by acceptance, curiosity, empathy, and even respect. She knew what it was like to be cut off from her home.

I smiled and thanked her. I looked back at the monitor0 no sign of Ashley. How long did this part take? I didn't remember Rose's and The Doctor's first interaction taking this long. Of course, this was real life and not a TV show. Things could go differently. Oh well, I'll just waste a bit of time.

"I've always wanted to know some things," I stretched out lengthwise on the seat, "Mind if I ask a few questions?"

The entire room buzzed giddily; the cylinder in the center glowed brightly.

I giggled at the childish glee infecting my mind. The TARDIs seemed to enjoy having someone to talk to. Well, someone to talk _to_ her.

In only a few minutes, I'd learned a lot about the TARDIS: She could communicate in a multitude of ways with The Doctor ad other beings with telepathic abilities but not with words. Her doors could be remotely opened, but only if she allowed it. Nearly a thousand rooms could populate the TARDIS at once, including a tennis courts, bi lab, theatre, eight different gardens, a labyrinth made entirely out of lime Jell-O, a dojo, an anti gravity room, an aquarium, and even a life sized chess set. And that's only the stuff I remember!

That's another thing I learned. The TARDIS could only communicate with me and others like me by feelings and, sometimes, pictures- if their mind was open enough. That's how she'd shown me all those rooms. Pictures had flashed through my mind at rapid fire pace; they showed me hundreds of scenes, but I'd only managed to remember a few.

I was just bout to ask how long ago the Time War was when a mauve light flashed. I looked at the screen from earlier. It had split in two. One side showed Ashley running towards us; the other, Henrik's. it hadn't exploded yet, but I needed to leave.

Rushing to the door, I found it locked.

"TARDIS, I need to leave," I gasped frantically.

A shiver of sadness slipped down my spine, quickly accompanied by loneliness.

I smiled sadly and stroked the door. She was afraid I wasn't coming back. "I'll be back. It'll be tomorrow for me but could be only a few minutes for you. I promise this isn't the last time we'll see each other."

I waited. The door clicked open with a soft sigh of defeat.

Smiling once more in reassurance, I rushed out but quickly ran back in.

"Tomorrow, when you park in front of Powell Estate, The Doctor will go off, do his thing, and come back with me and Ashley. When The Doctor tries to get you to take off again, can you stall? Just for a minute or two. I'll come in then," I requested.

She hummed another yes out.

"Thank you, see you tomorrow!" I beamed and closed the door.

I turned around and cautiously made my way to the mouth of the alley. Ashley hadn't gone by yet; I needed to be careful or she'd see me.

Suddenly, a blonde blur ran by. Henrik's exploded. A few seconds passed before I took a chance and peeked around both corners. Ashley was gone, and The Doctor hadn't shown up yet. Perfect time to make my getaway.

That made me sound like a cheesy super villain. I snickered at the thought and walked down the street as calmly as I could; desperately trying to contain my euphoria.

People were staring at me. Probably because of the huge grin I couldn't wipe off my face, and I kept breaking out in giggles. That was brought to a halt, though, when my phone rang.

My ringtone and caller ID both blare out who the culprit was. Ashley. I needed to act like I had no clue what had happened. If I hadn't stopped to chat with the TARDIs, I would just be getting back to my flat. I would have no knowledge of Henrik's sudden demise.

Taking a deep breath to collect myself, I answered.

"Hello?" Perfect. No wavering or stuttering, perfectly normal.

"Oh my God, Dahlia!" Ashley sobbed.

Shit- she was crying. I outwardly winced. I didn't know how to deal with crying people, let alone over the top crier like Ashley.

"Ashley? What's wrong? What happened? Are you all right?" I practically shrieked out the questioned, hoping to be as convincing as possible. I apparently was, but I probably had her panic to thank more than my acting skills.

Ashley sputtered out a few more words before settling on crying.

Desperate to at least _try_ and be a good friend, I attempted to comfort her. "Shh, sshhh, Ashley, Ashley, you need to talk deep breaths. That's right. In. Out. In. Out. Now, I'll be over in just a minute. We'll make tea, watch bad telly, and you can tell me everything. Panicking won't do anything but give you wrinkles."

The last bit really snapped her out of it. There was one thing Ashley truly despised: wrinkles.

"O-okay," she whispered hoarsely.

"I'll be there soon," I cooed softly. I ended the call and started running.

* * *

I arrived at Powell Estate in record time. I wasn't even out of breath. Apparently the running I've done over the last few months helped.

Stopping in front of the Tyler flat, I leaned on the door and gasped for breath. Flat ground? Easy. Stairs? Torture implements.

_I believe I have discovered the perfect alien deterrent_, I thought wearily, _Make them walk up twelve flights of stairs: If they made it to the top and weren't out of breath, they could have the planet._

"Levitation, flying, and machinery got allowed," I snorted.

I knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal Jackie Tyler. Opening my mouth to greet her, I was cut off by Jackie shrieking.

"Oh my God! Dahlia!" she gripped my arm and jerked me into a bone crushing hug. "It's just awful. Ashley was almost blown up! Barely made it out before Henrik's was leveled."

Another strangled voice called from deeper on the home: "Mum, let her inside! And don't kill her! She promised tea and bad telly!"

Wriggling out of Jackie's grip, I smiled sheepishly, "I'd better go tend to the trauma victim."

Finding Ashley was easy. She was exactly where I thought she'd be- curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and holding a box of tissues. Her eyes were puffy and red and watery from crying. Piles of used tissues littered the couch and floor around her.

_Is that still her first box?_ I wondered, sweeping a glance around. Nope, there was the first one, crumpled and discarded in the waste basket.

Even though I was supposed to be playing the part of the distressed friend, I couldn't help but grin at Ashley's over the top reaction. It never failed to put me in a better mood.

My grim faded however, when I saw her face.

"Ashley?" My hoarse whisper carried farther than I thought it would.

Ashley turned and gave me a watery smile. "Hey, Dahlia."

Poor thing, she was trying to hold herself together like I'd told her, but it wasn't natural for her to bottle up or hide her emotions like me. Definitely an impressive feat coming from her.

I let my pity show and crossed the room to sit next to her. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I cradled my friend to my side.

"Oh Ashley . . . ."

She burst out in sobs, throwing her arms around my neck.

Fighting and winning over my awkwardness, I rubbed soothing circles on her back; letting her cry to her heart's content.

Nearly ten minutes of tears led to Ashley finally being calm enough to recall what happened. I listened intently, only pausing her to make a shocked comment or question some horrid detail or retrieve each of us a cup of tea.

Jackie had also added her own comments. Mostly they consisted of "My poor dear" or "That's horrible" or "You should sue for compensation!" There was lots of that last one.

"Mum . . ." Ashley warned.

"I'm telling you! You need to get compensation!"

"Mum . . ." Ashley repeated.

"I'm right, though! Dahlia, tell her I'm right. I know I'm right." Jackie turned to me, eyes fierce.

I held up my hands defensively. I was not getting in the middle of this.

"Mum!" Ashley snapped. "We'll talk about that later. Right now I'm tired."

Jackie frowned and started to speak again, but she was cut off by the phone ringing. She huffed and rushed to answer it.

"Lisa, you saw it, too? I know. It's such a horrible thing. Ashley barely got out alive!" There was a pause. Jackie started up again, her tone exasperated, "I know! I keep telling her, but she won't listen to me!" Jackie poked her head back in the living room. "Even Lisa agrees with me: You need compensation."

Ashley rolled her eyes. I attempted to hold in my snicker but failed. Both Tylers glared at me. The elder woman huffed again and retreated into the kitchen, still babbling about _compensation_.

Right when I moved to refill our cups, Ashley spoke up.

"Dahlia, do you think . . .? That man . . ." she faltered quietly.

I sat back in my seat. "What man?"

She inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. "The one who told me to run in Henrik's. Do you think- do you think he's okay?" Ashley's eyes were downcast while she pondered her own question.

A small smile broke my steeled lips. Another wonderful thing about Ashley: She could care about someone she had literally just met. It reminded me of The Doctor, now that I thought about it.

"Well," I drawled out the word, "I don't know about you, but I believe he's fine."

She looked at me, obviously skeptical. "How can you be so sure? The building bloody exploded, Dahlia!"

I smirked. "Yeah, it did, but he's the one who made it explode in the first place. You said it yourself: he talked like he knew what was going on. The man obviously had a plan."

Ashley smiled back, giggling, "You're right. Do you think he was sane, though? He saved my life, yeah, but—"

I just raised an eyebrow. "Ashley, the man is obviously nuttier than a can of peanuts. He told you those dummies were living plastic, and he had a bomb."

Just as I was about to spill out several colorful metaphors about how insane The Doctor was, the front door slammed open and then shut. Mickey rushed in. He was obviously in panic mode. He practically collapsed at Ashley's right side.

"There you are! I've been phoning you! You could've been killed, and I wouldn't have known!" Mickey exclaimed. He ignored me like he usually did. Wasn't his fault; this is what happens when you make one too many snarky comments. Listen well, kids.

"I'm fine, Mickey, just had a bit of a shock," Ashley attempted to reassure her boyfriend.

"Fine? Look at all these tissues!" He peered inside her cuppa. "What're you drinking? Tea? No-no-no. That's not good." He removed the cup from her grasp and placed it on the table. "You need something stronger. Me, you, and," Mickey finally addressed me, "Dahlia can grab a pint at the pub. Help take the edge off that shock."

Ashley and I both gave him knowing looks.

"There's a match on, isn't there?" Ashley guessed, smirking.

Mickey managed to sputter out a defense: "Wha- . . . No! I'm just worried about you, is all. You said yourself you'd had a shock!"

"Knew it," I muttered victoriously.

Mickey shot me a dirty look. I merely snickered and stuck my tongue out at him.

He turned back to Ashley and pleaded, "We could catch the last ten minutes."

She smiled. "You go, really, I don't mind. Dahlia and I have a date with some bad telly anyway."

He frowned. "You sure?"

"Yes! Now go watch your match, you stupid bloke. And get rid of that thing," Ashley ordered, smacking him with the plastic arm before handing it over.

Mickey grinned back and kissed her, muttering a goodbye.

I fake gagged- more in annoyance than disgust. Ashley and Mickey could be a disgustingly cheesy couple, and it tended to grate on my nerves.

"Bye Ricky!" I called after him as he left while he pretended to choke himself with the arm.

The only reply I got was the slamming of the door.

Ashley pouted. "Why are you so mean to him?"

Smirking, I reclined back and reached for the remote. "Because it's just too damn easy," I replied, switching on the TV. "Now, I believe we have some rubbish telly with our names written on it."

* * *

Ashley's alarm blared in my ears; I jolted off the air mattress and onto the floor. Falling a few inches shouldn't hurt as much as it did. Ashley and I groaned simultaneously: Hers was of annoyance; mine of pain. She peered down from the bed at me.

"What're you doing on the floor?" she asked groggily.

My "reply" (which consisted of muffled curses) was drowned out by Jackie shouting: "No use getting up, girls. You don't have a job to go to."

"There's Finch's, you could try it there," Jackie suggested, "They've always got jobs . . . ."

I tuned Jackie out. She'd been going on about jobs and compensation all morning. Ashley was following my example and only making enough acknowledging noises to keep Jackie happy. For now. From her annoyed look, I could tell Ashley was close to snapping at her mom. _That_ wouldn't end well for anyone.

Ashley's huff of irritation broke my self induced numb state.

"Mum, I told you to nail down the cat flap!" Ashley called out, "We're gonna get strays!"

"I did it a few weeks ago!" Jackie shouted back.

"You only thought you did," Ashley replied, glaring at the cat flap.

She opened her mouth, about to shout to Jackie again, but her eyes caught on the nails on the floor. She caught my gaze and motioned me over. I stood and walked to her side while she picked up a nail. Kneeling beside, her, I plucked the nail from her grasp. Ashley stared at me. I nodded toward the cat flap. Hesitantly, she opened it. A face stared back at us; a face with bright blue eyes, a large nose, and sticky-outy ears.

Ashley stumbled back on her ass, nearly sitting on the nails, a shriek most likely caught in her throat. I stood quickly and went to open the door. Ashley scrambled to her feet and grabbed my arm tightly. I looked at her. Her mouth opened and closed several times before choking out "That's him!" in a hoarse voice.

I frowned at her, silently questioning who she meant, even though I knew. Turning back to the door, I reached forward and pulled it open. The Doctor beamed at us.

"Hello," he greeted, "What're you doing here?"

I tilted my head to the side curiously. "She lives here and I'm visiting. Do I know you?"

The Doctor leaned closer to me, eyes scanning my face. "Not sure, maybe."

I resisted the urge to pout. The Doctor didn't forget things randomly. "Well, we're only here 'cause _someone_ blew up our job." I tried to sound irritated, but the words came out as playful.

The Doctor grinned cheekily. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He pressed a button; it lip up and a soft buzzing emitted from the tip. The Doctor held it up to his face and sighed, disappointed, "Must've gotten the wrong signal."

There he was, right in front of me. The Doctor. Oh my God. I mean, I'd run into him yesterday but still. _He's right here! Barely a foot away._ I made a note that I was probably giving him an awestruck stare. I couldn't bring myself to care.

"You're not plastic, are you?" The question was followed by a rough tap on my forehead. Ouch. Okay, inspiring moment over.

Ashley whimpered when he head was tapped. I suppressed my wince. She was confused and frightened and I'd forgotten she was there. Reaching back, I took he rhand and squeezed it reassuringly. She squeezed back.

"Nope, bone head. Bye then!" The Doctor turned on his heel to leave.

I snatched his jacket collar. "Oh no, you don't," I said, pulling him inside. I shut the door after him and turned to face him. I started to speak but was pulled away by Ashley.

"What?" I asked impatiently.

"What do you mean 'What'?" she whisper shouted, "That's the guy from Henrik's! Why'd you bring him inside? And how do you know him?"

"Don't you want answers?" I asked. "And I don't _know him_ know him; it was probably a brief meeting."

Ashley huffed and glared. "What if he's dangerous? He did blow up Henrik's."

I barely held in my giggles, "Ashley, does he look dangerous to you?" We both glanced over to The Doctor, who was exploring his surroundings with wide, curious eyes. He looked like a child. I bit my lip to keep a grin in check. "Besides, he saved your life. That's got to count for something," I assured her.

She frowned and thought for a moment. She still didn't look convinced.

"C'mon Ash, don't you trust me?"

Finally, she nodded her consent. I beamed. "Fantastic! Now, we have a madman to question." I took her hand and pulled her further into the flat.

"Who is it?" Jackie's voice rang from deeper inside.

Ashley beat me to the excuse. "It's about last night; he's from the inquiry. He needs to talk to Dahlia, too; give us ten minutes!" She walked past me, into anther room.

I followed The Doctor.

"Ashley deserves compensation!" Jackie called out.

The Doctor glanced at me and smirked. "Oh yeah, we're talking millions."

Smirking back, I stopped outside Jackie's room. The doctor did as well and leaned against the door frame.

Jackie appeared. Her eyes skimmed over me before landing on The Doctor. She smiled flirtatiously. "I'm in my dressing gown."

The Doctor grinned, nodding. "Yes, you are."

"There's a strange man in my bedroom."

"Yes, there is," he agreed again.

"Anything could happen," Jackie replied breathlessly, leaning close to The Doctor.

He paused, considering the situation, before chuckling and saying, "No." Jackie scowled at him. I barked out a laugh, quickly retreating with The Doctor before Jackie could turn on me.

We entered the kitchen, where Ashley was clinking cups and dishes.

"Don't mind the mess," she said over her shoulder. "Do you want come coffee?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Might as well, thanks! Just milk."

I frowned and asked, "Only milk in your coffee or just milk?" Ashley froze right before pouring a cup of coffee.

He grinned and threw me a wink. "Coffee and milk." He picked up a magazine. I watched form his side. Ashley spoke up while pouring coffee, "We should go to the police. Seriously, all _three_ of us." She emphasized the three. I pouted internally. Glancing at The Doctor, I could tell he was ignoring her. "That won't last. He's gay and she's an alien," he noted, putting the magazine down and picking up a book.

"It's not like I'm blaming you or anything. It was probably just a prank gone wrong. And I am thankful for you saving my life," Ashley continued.

"Sad ending," The Doctor remarked to me. I nodded in agreement. I'd read the book earlier. Really boring book. Not something I'd recommend.

"They said they found a body," Ashley said.

I looked at her. "What about everyone else?"

"Got out before the blast. No one else was hurt," she replied.

My body relaxed as I let out the breath I had been holding. _So my lie worked. No one else was hurt. Good._

Out the corner of my eye, I watched The Doctor pick up an envelope and read loud enough for me to hear," Ashley Tyler." He moved on to the mirror next and gazed into it. "Ah, could've been worse." He grinned brightly and chuckled, "Look at me ears!"

A corner of my mouth quirked up from a suppressed smile.

"All the same, he was nice- a nice bloke," Ashley rambled.

Stretching, I moved to the living room and plopped down on the couch. All the tissues from last night were gone. Jackie had probably thrown them out when she'd first gotten up. I lazily watched The Doctor flit around the room. He never stayed in one place or looked at one object for too long. He reminded me of a squirrel.

"You got a cat?" The Doctor asked suddenly.

I tensed. The Doctor searched for where the sound came from. A second later, the plastic arm leaped from its hiding place, attaching itself to his neck. The Doctor stumbled back. I scrambled up, grasped the arm and tried to rip it from The Doctor's neck, but it wouldn't budge.

"Well, we did have, but there are strays," Ashley answered. "They come in off the estate."

How could she not have heard the commotion? The Doctor and I weren't exactly being quiet during out struggle against the plastic arm. Finally, she entered the room, a cup of coffee in each hand.

She rolled her eyes as soon as she caught sight of us. "Honestly Dahlia, I never thought you were one for pranks," she scolded before furrowing her eyebrows. "I told Mickey to chuck that thing out," Ashley muttered, setting the coffee down. She sighed, "Now, why don't you two stop playing games so we can chat? Dahlia and I want answers, Doctor, starting with your real name."

The arm gave way at last. Unfortunately, it latched onto the first thing available: Ashley's face.

Ashley did shriek this time. I rushed to help her. Though, no matter how hard I tugged on the arm, it wouldn't budge. Whirling my head around to face The Doctor, I scowled when I saw he was just standing there, smirking.

"Doctor, don't just stand there! Sonic the damn thing!" I snarled.

His smirk dropped, and then he lunged toward us with his sonic screwdriver ready. The Doctor gripped the arm and used the sonic. It emitted a high pitched buzzing sound.

The arm released Ashley's face. She collapsed on the couch. I, however, crashed to the floor. The Doctor beamed at us, innocently holding up the arm. "It's all right; I stopped it. There you go, see?" he said as he tossed the arm to Ashley. She fumbled a few seconds before catching it and then promptly slung it at me. It smacked me in the face.

"'Armless!" The Doctor teased gently.

I jumped to my feet and smacked him in the shoulder with the arm. The Doctor cried out "Ow!" indignantly with threw a pout at me. I rolled my eyes.

* * *

**Sorry again for taking so long and for this not being the entire first episode. I'll probably have to split each episode in half if I want to update like I want to. Thanks again for reading and please review!**


	4. Scent of Burning Plastic

**Guys, guys, I am so sorry this took so long. I didn't mean to put this off for so long; my procrastination just got the better of me. Sorry again adn I hope you enjoy.**

Seconds later the Doctor had sprinted out of the Tyler flat and was rushing down the stairs, the plastic arm in hand. Ashley and I immediately followed.

"Hey! Hold on a minute! You can't just go swanning off!" Ashley cried out indignantly.

He turned around and replied, a huge grin on his face, "Yes, I can. Here I am-this is me- swanning off. See ya!" The Doctor resumed his dash down the stairs.

My lips quirked upwards in a smirk I couldn't keep down. I had always loved that line for some reason.

Ashley scowled. "That arm was moving; it tried to kill me!"

"Ten out of ten for observation," The Doctor remarked.

I snorted in amusement this time. Ashley glared at me. Smiling cheekily, I said, "You have to admit, he's got a point." She huffed before calling out to The Doctor again. "You can't just walk away! That's not fair! You've got to tell us what's going on!"

"No, I don't," The Doctor said over his shoulder.

We finally caught up to him, and Ashley panted out her question: "Who are you?"

He straightened immediately. "I told you: The Doctor," he replied proudly.

My friend rolled her eyes and reached to take the arm from The Doctor. "Really though, Doctor, tell me: Who are you?"

I watched silently. There was no point in interrupting their conversation. I had nothing of importance to add anyway, so I just stood between them. _I hope I don't have to mediate between them_, I thought warily. Ashley tended to smack people when she got frustrated.

The Doctor's expression switched from carefree to solemn. "Do you know like we were saying? About the earth revolving?" he told us. "It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning, and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still." He paused and looked up at the sky; his eyes got a distant look in them. He shifted his faze back to us, staring into Ashley's eyes and then into mine.

My breath hitched. The Doctor took Ashley's hand. Then he reached for mine. I fought down the temptation to repeat his next words with him.

"The turn of the earth: The ground beneath out feet is spinning at t thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at sixty-seven thousand miles an hour," The Doctor's hand tightened around my own. Ashley was dead silent. "And I can feel it. We're falling through space. You two and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go . . . ." he finished, releasing both our hands. "Now forget me, Ashley and Dahlia," The Doctor advised sternly. He took the arm from Ashley and ordered while waving it in our faces, "Go home." He walked toward the blue box a few yards away.

Ashley frowned, but stuffed her hands in her pockets and started toward her and Jackie's flat. I didn't follow. She must've noticed because I heard her shout, "Dahlia, you coming?"

Shaking my head, I responded, "No, I think I'm just gonna go home."

She tilted her head to the side. "You sure? You don't have to; Mum'll be glad to have someone to look after me constantly." Her mouth quirked up in a small smile.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure. I doubt I could take much more of her yelling, though."

Ashley laughed, saying, "You're right. If I had the chance to escape, I'd take it, too." She waved and started toward Powell Estate. "See you later."

"Bye." I wave at her retreating form. I waited just until she was out of sight before making a mad dash toward the TARDIS. The entire time Ashley and I had been talking, I had waited, fearfully, for the sound declaring its take off. It hadn't come. Now adrenaline pumped through my body as anticipation and anxiety for the conversation The Doctor and I were about to have set in. Hopefully, he would believe me.

I approached the door to the TARDIS cautiously and took out my key. My hands trembled. I took a deep breath and shook my entire body to rid myself of the jitters. _ You can do this, Dahlia, _I told myself confidently, _You've rehearsed this a thousand time. The Doctor's reasonable and understanding-even if he has a temper._

Holding in another breath, I bit my lip and entered the key in the lock, twisting it until I heard a soft _click_.

The door swung open easily, not uttering a creak or squeak. I stepped inside just as silently. I tried not to gape at the innards of the TARDIS this time. I had a mission. There would be time to gape later. _Wait_, I frowned, _where was The Doctor_.

Curses in strange languages and English found my ears. Inching up the ramp, I saw The Doctor kneeling under a part of the TARDIS and fiddling with two wires, sonic screwdriver in hand. He was completely oblivious to my presence. Something in the back of my mind hinted at me to startle him. That it would be hilarious. I could tell it was the TARDIS. She wanted to have some fun with her thief.

Forcing down my giggles, I took another calming breath before calling out, "Whatever you're trying to do, Doctor, it won't work."

The Doctor startled. He yelped and jumped, smacking his head into the underside of the console and dropping his sonic in the process. Clutching his head and groaning, The Doctor fell back on his ass.

I didn't stop my giggles from becoming full on laughter.

The Doctor glared at me as he stood. "That wasn't funny."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh? Well your TARDIs seems to think so." Indeed, the TARDIS was buzzing with her own form of laughter.

The Doctor froze. His expression turned stony while his glared intensified.

My playful mood slipped. Shit. I think I triggered The Oncoming Storm.

"How do you know about the TARDIS?" he asked lowly as he advanced on me. His long strides made it easy for him to stop inches from me.

I gulped. This was not how I hoped this meeting would start off. "I can explain that," I fought the waver out of my voice, "if you'd let me. Though, I'm not sure you'll believe me."

He relaxed, but only slightly, and continued to stare. "I'm listening," he spat coldly.

Inhaling deeply for the fourth time in the past ten minutes, I started my explanation: "You know how there are all those alternate dimensions?" The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, I'm from one of them, and in my universe, your world is a TV show. A very popular TV show. I know all about you and this world. I also know, up to a certain point, your future," I finished, not breaking eye contact.

The Doctor's eyes widened; his stance slackened; and his mouth fell open. He sputtered for a few seconds before getting his bearings. "Wasn't expecting that," The Doctor muttered irritably.

Not knowing what to say, I stayed silent.

The Doctor turned around and walked back up the ramp, motioning for me to follow him. I hesitantly followed. The Doctor leaned against the console and, beaming brightly, inclined his head toward the captain's seat. In a comforting tone, he said, "Please, sit."

I sat down.

My nervousness must've shown because his grin faltered. The Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry about . . . ."

"Going all Oncoming Storm on me?" I finished softly.

The Doctor bowed his head, nodding. "Yeah."

Smiling gently, I waved off his apology. "It's fine, as long as you understand now."

He frowned at that. "I understand how you know so much, but how did you get here? If my life's a show in the telly, then you couldn't have gotten a TARDIS."

I bit my lip. This was where things could get difficult. Should I tell him- mostly- why and how I was brought here? Or do I lie and make up something? Lying would be easy. All I had to do was spout off some theory about a rift transporting me here, but lying could have horrible consequences later. The Doctor had already gone Oncoming Storm on me once; I really didn't want that to happen again. The choice was easy.

"I was kidnapped from my world and brought here," I said resolutely.

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed. "Kidnapped?" he questioned curiously, "By who?"

I pursed my lips. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"You can't know he exists yet. It would mess the order up."

"Dahlia, I'm a Time Lord; I can handle it."

I resisted the urge to scowl and snap at him. At that moment, The Doctor had sounded so damn pompous. He acted like I didn't understand the situation at all. Bullshit. As of now, The Doctor would learn to respect me, even if I was a lowly human.

"No, you can't. Messing up the order is what my kidnapper brought me here to stop," I growled. "Unlike what you think, _Doctor_, I know how this works. I've watched _Doctor Who_ religiously, and you don't go messin' with the order." Looking him in the ey, I summed it up: "That's it. End of story. Next question."

I could see The Doctor's frustration growing, but also his wonder.

"What do you mean that's why you were brought here?" he asked.

I snorted. Of course he would lock in on that and completely ignore the fact that I was standing up to him.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I explained the situation in more depth: "the man who originally kidnapped me explained his reason for bringing me here quite plainy. An event that was supposed to happen didn't. He brought me here to make sure the specified event happens and, in turn, the universe doesn't collapse."

The Doctor thought for a moment, staring at me intently. "This event is in my future, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"Why did this event not happen?" I didn't answer. I knew it was rhetorical when The Doctor shoved off the console, carted a hand through his military cut hair, and started pacing. "The universe has fail safes for this sort of thing. OH," he turned back to me, "a fail safe for the universe is like a normal fail safe except on a much larger scale and only for extremely important events."

"I know what a universal fail safe is, Doctor," I cut him off before he started up again, rolling my eyes.

He blinked, surprised, "Did you learn that from the show, too?"

"No; I can just infer."

"Really? Fantastic! Wait- no. Still fantastic, but not important," The Doctor fumbled, "The reality is- you shouldn't be here!"

_Maybe if I smack him, he'll stop panicking._

"Doctor? Doctor. Doctor!" I snapped, finally gaining his attention.

The Doctor stared at me uncomprehendingly. It seemed like he wasn't used to having others interrupt his rambling. "Yes?"

Smirking, I pointed out, "Isn't there something more important you should be doing than contemplating why I'm here?"

"There is?" he frowned and started wracking his brain for an answer.

I raised an eyebrow, asking sarcastically, "The Nestene Consciousness?"

It finally dawned on him that there were living plastic creatures outside. "Right! We should get going!"

"We?" I asked cautiously, watching him dash around the console.

He grinned madly at me. "Of course we! You're obviously coming with me! I could use the help." He winked. I giggled, finally returning his grin.

Hopping off the captain's seat, I stood beside The Doctor. My eyes flickered over the console, resting on a buzzing lever. I reached for it, wrapped my fingers around the handle, and looked at The Doctor for confirmation. He smiled encouragingly; his eyes warm. I grinned wickedly and jerked the lever down. The Doctor and I held on for dear life as the TARDIS started shaking.

"Hey," The Doctor nudged me.

"Yeah?"

"How'd you get on here anyway? I locked the door," he asked.

"That's all? The TARDIS gave me a key," I answered simply but smugly.

The Doctor gaped at me. "What?"

A jerk of the TARDIS and my cackling laughter cut him off.

Oh yeah. This was going to be _fun_.

* * *

"We're clear on the plan, right?" The Doctor asked me for the fifth time.

The TARDIS had been tracking the signal from the plastic arm when the arm melted. The Doctor had to make an emergency stop before we crashed into Slen 12-V in the Faruwel Sector of the Brooshg Galaxy (Yeah, Ican't believe I remembered that either). After a short bout of pouting (The Doctor), a mild temper tantrum (also The Doctor), and a suggestion (me), The Doctor tracked a new signal to a pizza parlor; the same restaurant Ashley had texted me to meet her and Mickey at.

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I repeated irritably, "Yes, Doctor, I know the plan. Why wouldn't I? You've gone over it five times even though I know what's going to happen."

The Doctor threw a pout at me. "Well, someone's rather agitated," he mumbled.

"You'd be irritated, too, if someone kept treating you like a child," I shot back.

He stiffened for a second and the relaxed. "You're right, sorry. I'm just not . . . ." he trailed off, sending me a meaningful look.

Guilt settled in my stomach. I shouldn't be so hard on him. Who knew how long it had been since he'd last had a companion? I gave him a shaky smile. "Used to being around people who can keep up with you," I recited quietly. "I know, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand; I'll try to be more . . . respectful in the future," he said, then added nervously, "If you _want_ to stay after this is over, that is."

It was my turn to freeze up. He was asking me to stay? I thought it would be unspoken amongst us that I _had_ to travel with him. If I didn't, the universe would implode. Maybe it was just a habit or formality. Yeah- The Doctor probably just didn't want to assume anything. There was the Time War to take into account, too. I didn't know how long ago it had been. But what if he meant something else? Did he think I would leave? Shit. I'd been quiet for too long.

Smacking myself mentally, I thought, _Get a hold of yourself. First, kick the Nestene Consciousness in its plastic ass. You and The Doctor can have a heart to heart later._

Awkwardly shifting from foot to foot, I cleared my throat, "I'll see you in a minute, then?"

He cleared his throat, as well. "Yeah, just make sure you're careful. Never know what a plastic creature'll do when threatened, though, I suppose killing you in a horrible manner would work well."

I shook my head and left The Doctor to his muttering, exiting the TARDIS and entering the pizza parlor.

Spotting Ashley and Plastic Mickey was easy. There weren't many people in the restaurant. What was difficult was resisting the urge to simply grab Ashley and run back to the TARDIS. She wasn't made for danger and aliens and insane plans; she'd end up getting hurt.

My sudden protective thoughts surprised me. I'd never had them before. Sure, I'd warned her against things before, but those were trivial things: boys, job interviews, or a shopping trip she couldn't afford.

Perhaps it was because the danger was life threatening this time . . . .

Ashley perked up when she caught sight of me. Grinning, she called out, "Dahlia! Over here!"

Cautiously sliding into the seat between them, I eyed Plastic Mickey. He glared at me distrustfully; I grinned back wickedly.

"I was just asking Mickey where I could get a new job," Ashley chatted, "I'd rather not serve chips the rest of my life."

Plastic Mickey decided he could now ignore me. He turned back to Ashley, asking, "Where did you meet this Doctor?"

She faced him and scowled, "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I talking about me for a second?"

He just barreled through her words. "'Cause I reckon it all started at the shop. Am I right? Had he something to do with that?"

Ashley's eyes widened and she looked at me, begging for me to come up with some sort of excuse. I nearly laughed. Ashley never could keep a secret. She just didn't have the willpower. Oh well, I might as well intervene.

"No, he wasn't, and you shouldn't ask if she doesn't want to talk about it, _Mickey_," I warned, glaring at him.

He glowered at me before dismissing my comment and interrogating Ashley again. "Come on, I know he was."

Ashley's resolve started to crumble, "Well, maybe a little."

Plastic Mickey beamed. "I knew it! What's he planning?"

"I don't know," Ashley snapped. "Now, can we please stop talking about The Doctor?"

"Babe. Sugar. Sugar. Sweetheart. Babe," Plastic Mickey stuttered, reaching to take Ashley's hand, "You can tell me."

A frown marred Ashley's face. "I said I don't know."

I watched her wince when his grip tightened.

"Babe. Sweetheart. Sugar. Sweetheart. Babe," his head jerked this time. He stared unblinkingly at Ashley as he urged, "Come on, tell me what The Doctor's got planned."

A voice interrupted the argument: "Champagne anyone?"

My eyes flicked up to meet The Doctor's mischievous gaze. He winked.

"It's not ours," Plastic Mickey dismissed without looking. He returned to prodding Ashley's limited information.

The Doctor pouted but shifted to Ashley. "Champagne Miss?"

"No thanks," she said, dismissing him as easily as Plastic Mickey.

Biting my lip to keep from giggling, I stole another glance at The Doctor. He actually looked irritated now. He glared at my smirk. I snickered.

"Doesn't anyone want this champagne?" The Doctor huffed.

Plastic Mickey, finally irritated enough, jerked his head toward The Doctor and growled, "It's not ours! I already-" An evil smile slinked across his mouth. "The Doctor."

All Ashley could do was gape.

Grinning like some escaped mad man, The Doctor point the bottle at Plastic Mickey and said, "Cheers to the happy couple!" He popped the cork off, sending it flying into the imposter's forehead.

Lightning fast, I snatched Ashley's hand and jerked her away from the table to the back door. After shoving her outside, I slammed the fire alarm down. "Everybody out! Not!" I yelled. In my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of The Doctor yanking Plastic Mickey's head off. "Mickey's" mouth moved. I couldn't hear from where I was standing, but I knew what he said.

The Doctor managed to dodge when the headless creature broke the table. The Doctor rushed towards me.

"Dahlia!"

Whipping my head around, I found Ashley peering back inside. Shock and fright flared in her eyes.

"Out!" I dove outside with The Doctor on my heels/

I shut the door while he soniced it closed.

"Dahlia, help me with this!" Ashley cried out from behind me.

Looking back at her, I shook my head. "There's no point in trying that, Ashley. It won't open. Besides, we came in with a plan." I looked back to The Doctor. He just grinned.

Ashley glared at us. "Open the gate! Use that tube thing, come on!" she yelled.

"What- this? This is a sonic screwdriver," The Doctor said proudly, waving the item in his hand.

"Use it!" she yelled again.

The Doctor waved off her worry, "Nah. Tell ya what, let's go in here." He strutted over to the TARDIS and unlocked it, slipping inside.

Loud clangs signaled that Plastic Mickey had found us and was trying his best to break the door down

"We can't hide in a wooden box!" Ashley replied shrilly, gaping with wide eyes at the TARDIS.

I barked out, "Ashley, you need to trust me."

Her attention refocused on me. "But it's a _box_, Dahlia! He'll break right through!"

"When have I intentionally steered you wrong? Please, Ashley, that box is the safest place on Earth right now." I was nearly pleading. _Damnit Ashley, just get in the box._

She bit her lip, chewing it as he thought. Something she only did when she regarded something very carefully. She took a tentative step forward. "I-I don't know. How can we trust him?"

Smirking, I winked and held out a hand. "'Cause, he's The Doctor."

Even though it was obvious she didn't really believe me, Ashley took my hand anyway. I gripped it tightly and pulled her inside the TARDIS.

The Doctor merely grinned over his shoulder at us, not pausing while he connected the head to the console.

I decided it would be best to explain everything to Ashley now; I didn't want her to worry about Mickey when he would be fine. Just as I turned around, a strangled sound caught my attention.

Oh God . . . .

Ashley had her hands over her mouth and nose, trying to stifle her whines and sobs. Tears overflowed from her eyes to drip down her cheeks in streams. Terror and shock permeated the air around her, making her quake and shiver. Her eyes darted around the console room.

I reached out to curl my arm over her shoulder. My heart clenched when she shirked away from me. I cooed words of comfort to her.

"You see, the arm is too simple, but the head's perfect," The Doctor pointed out suddenly, "I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source. Right." He looked at us. "Where do you want to start?"

Ashley wheezed and collapsed. I barely managed to catch her before she bruised her ass.

"It's called the TARDIS, this thing," The Doctor continued proudly, oblivious of Ashley's mental anguish. "T-A-R-D-I-S, that's Time And Relative Dimension In Space."

I gritted my teeth and cradled Ashley to my side, letting her sob openly into my shoulder. Anger burned in my gut. Sometimes I hated how The Doctor could get wrapped up in his own world.

"That's okay. Culture shock- happens to the best of us," he noted, to me or himself I couldn't be sure.

Reigning in my anger, I tried to explain stiffly, "She's not in culture shock. She's-"

"Did they kill him? Mickey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?" Ashley interrupted me, desperation overwhelming her and nearly choking off her last question.

I opened my mouth to quickly explain but was interrupted again.

"Oh," The Doctor frowned, caught off guard, "didn't think of that."

Ashley suddenly ripped from my embrace= knocking me over- and stood, her expression livid. "He's my boyfriend! You pulled off his head, you bastard! They copied him, and you didn't even think? And now you're just going to let him melt?" she screamed, advancing a few steps toward The Doctor.

I righted myself and stood as well. Peering around The Doctor, I saw it. Sure enough- Plastic Mickey's head was melting and sinking in on itself.

"Melt?" The Doctor exclaimed. He looked at the console. He frantically ran to the panel, yelling, "Oh, no-no-no-no-no-NO!" He jerked levers fast than I'd ever seen.

Ashley turned to me for an explanation. "What's he doing? _What_ is he?"

"Got to revive the signal; it's fading! Wait! I've got it! No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-NO!" The Doctor panicked to himself, he was in his own little bubble.

I took a deep breath to prepare myself. "Okay, he's an alien. This is his time/space ship. He's tracking a signal from that head to its creator. When he finds the creator, he's going to tell them to shove off and leave Earth alone," I summarized, "That's the short version."

Ashley looked about ready to faint. She was trying to come up with a logical explanation for the situation but couldn't find one. "And Mickey?" she choked out.

I smiled reassuringly. "Mickey's-"

The TARDIS shook, cutting me off. Ashley and I grabbed the railing the keep from falling.

We heard The Doctor urge from the console: "Almost there! Almost there! Here we go!"

The Doctor rushed out the doors as soon as the shaking stopped.

"You-you can't go out there! It's not safe," Ashley whimpered.

I shook my head and tugged her outside after me.

My friend's hand tightened and then went slack in my grip. I gnawed on my lip. Please don't let her have another freak out.

"I lost the signal. I got so close," The Doctor moaned, leaning over the bridge.

"We-we've moved," Ashley's voice cracked.

"Disappears there, reappears here- you wouldn't understand," The Doctor replied rudely.

Ashley started to panic. "But if we're somewhere else, what about that headless thing? It's still on the loose."

"It melted with the head. Are you going to witter on all night," The Doctor snapped.

Why? Why did they have to argue? Why couldn't this have gone differently than the episode? Why couldn't just one thing be easy for me?

"I'll have to tell his mother . . . ." Ashley whispered.

The Doctor shot her a frustrated and puzzled look.

"Mickey! I'll have to tell his mother he's dead, and you just went and forgot him- again!" Ashley shrieked at him.

The Doctor said nothing.

Ashley glared coldly at him, not backing down when he met her stare.

The Doctor spoke sternly, "Look, if I did forget some kid called Mickey-"

The blonde butted in, "Yeah, he's not a kid."

He plowed on anyway, "It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape blundering on top of this planet, alright?"

"No, it's not!" Ashley snarled back.

I perked up. Okay, what? That wasn't the line. Roes just agreed with The Doctor, asked about the TARDIS, and they . . . went . . . on their merry way. Fuck. I kept forgetting this wasn't Rose. This was Ashley, and she didn't behave like Rose would.

One glance at my companions told me all I needed to know. This was getting out of hand. It was time for me to intervene.

"Okay, that's enough," I said, stepping in between them. "Ashley, calm down, and _you_," I whirled around to The Doctor, "I'll deal with you later. No, don't talk. Just . . . go stand by the TARDIS." I pointed toward the blue box.

The Doctor glowered at me for a few seconds before obeying.

Huffing, I turned back to Ashley. She was still obviously pissed off, but my intervening made her cool off a bit. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "Ashley, look, I know this is all a lot to take in but-"

"No, Dahlia, you don't know," Ashley snapped, "Tonight, everything I thought I knew about the world blew up in my face; I got attacked by a plastic monster; and my boyfriend is probably dead. Believe me; you have no idea what I'm going through."

I blinked, taken aback. Then I realized she was right. I had no clue what she was going through. I could imagine, but I didn't really know.

Ashley started crying again. "I-I'm sorry, Dahlia. I just . . . I just . . . ."

I embraced her again. "It's okay. It'd hard, and I'm sorry you have to go through this," I apologized.

"I can't do this, Dahlia. I'm not strong like you are, and whenever I look at The Doctor, all I think about is Mickey," Ashley cried.

"Mickey is fine," I informed, "He's just being held captive so they can maintain the plastic copy they made. Or to make more. Either way, he's safe and we'll get him back."

She looked up at me, frowning, and asked, "How can you be so sure?"

Smiling, I replied, "Because, that's what happens in every syfy shoe. See? This is when all of my nerd knowledge comes in handy."

She smiled back. It was a weak one but still a smile.

A moment's silence washed over us.

Should I tell her? I mean, now's definitely not a good time, but with the condition she's in . . . .

"Ashley," I started, "I think you should go home."

She blinked rapidly. "What?"

I carefully chose my words. This could easily blow up in my face. "Where we're going, it's going to be dangerous, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"You mean you don't want me getting in the way," Ashley whispered.

"I didn't say that," I insisted, but didn't deny.

"It's alright. I understand, and you're right. I'm not cut out for this kind of life. Just promise me you'll get Mickey back."

Straightening, I promised.

"Good," she mumbled. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah," I said lamely.

She winked. "Good luck. Especially with _him_." Her gaze lingered on The Doctor.

I waved to her as she left.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably by the TARDIS. He had obviously heard everything. He cleared his throat.

"Don't," I stopped him. "There's nothing you can say. I understand you've been through a lot, Doctor, but that's no reason to take it out on Ashley. She's only worries about her boyfriend. And yes, you are under a lot of pressure, but please, have a bit more patience with us apes. Most of us rarely ever see the big picture." I finished my rant and waited for his response.

The Doctor was leaning against the TARDIS with his hands shoved in his pockets. He obviously didn't like being spoken to like that.

My neck and shoulders ached. After rolling them, I clapped my hands together. The Doctor's head snapped to me. "Now that that's out of the way, we need to find the Nestene Consciousness."

"And how will we do that? I lost the signal and have no idea where the transmitter is," The Doctor remarked.

"Well, it's a good thing you have me then," I stated proudly.

Turning on my hell, I faced the skyline and pointed, "There's your transmitter: The London Eye."

He eyed me suspiciously. "How do you know?"

I looked at him like 'Really? You don't get it?'

"'Round'? 'Massive'? 'Slap bang in the middle of London'?" I quoted, "'Huge, circular, metal structure'? 'Like a dish'?"

He stared at the Eye for another few seconds before it finally sunk in. He beamed at me. "Fantastic!" grabbing my hand, The Doctor started running.

"Think about it- Plastic, all over the world! Every artificial thing waiting to come alive! The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables . . ." The Doctor look backed at me for my reaction.

I couldn't help myself: "The breast implants."

The Doctor laughed.

"Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath," The Doctor said, mostly to himself.

It was my turn to lead him. I pulled him to the correct manhole and lifted it. "One entrance with a side of rank," I said brightly, wrinkling my nose at the stench.

The Doctor smiled again. He gestured dramatically. "After you."

I rolled my eyes, muttering, "Because a gentleman allows the lady to go down the hole first."

He only winked.

* * *

I stopped The Doctor from walking any further down the sewer. I held out my hand.

He blinked owlishly at me. "What?"

"Hand over the anti-plastic. It's better if I hold onto it," I ordered.

The Doctor didn't think long before handing over the blue vial. I merely blinked at the item I now held.

"Somethin' wrong?" The Doctor questioned.

I snapped out of it. "Uh-no! Just didn't think you'd give it to me that easily." I smiled sheepishly.

He shrugged. "There's no reason for me to doubt you." He continued walking.

I stuffed the anti-plastic into my pocket and caught up to him.

We finally saw the Nestene Consciousness. I had to admit, even though I was seeing it in real life, I had a hard time believing that orange blob in the huge vat was a living creature.

I followed The Doctor as he stepped down the stairs.

The Doctor leaned over the railing. He called out, "I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation."

The Consciousness shifted in acknowledgement.

"Thank you- that I might have permission to approach," The Doctor finished.

I peered around until I found Mickey. Upon seeing him huddled in a corner, I hopped down the steps toward him. Crouching next to him, I attempted to comfort him, "It's alright, Mickey. We're here to save you."

"And the rest of Earth," The Doctor butted in.

I glared at him. Definitely not helping right now.

"That thing down there, the liquid, Dahlia- it can talk!" Mickey spouted out.

I merely patted his back as I watched The Doctor.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you," The Doctor said. "If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warped, shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?" The Doctor smirked at his little joke.

The liquid squirmed and growled.

The Doctor's face scrunched. "Don't give me that! It's an invasion, plan and simple! Don't talk about constitutional rights!"

The Consciousness lurched, shrieking what were possibly obscenities.

"I. Am. Talking!" The Doctor shouted.

Goosebumps prickled over my skin. There was The Oncoming Storm.

"This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learned how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go," The Doctor pleaded.

My gut clenched when two plastic men started towards him. "Doctor, behind you!" But it was no use. The plastics already had him in their grasp.

The Doctor struggled while he desperately tried to plead with the creature. "I'm here to help! I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not- what do you mean?" he asked suddenly, amongst the growls of the Consciousness.

My eyes shot up to the doors on the platform. The doors opened, revealing the TARDIS.

"Oh, oh no! Honestly, no!" The Doctor slumped. He sighed out, defeated, "Yes, that's my ship."

Obviously furious, the plastic alien roared, lurching init container.

The Doctor's face went slack with remorse and pain. "That's not true! I should know- I was there; I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!" he cried out desperately.

Our surroundings started to shake. The Nestene Consciousness shrieked. I held my breath. Mickey whimpered.

The Doctor struggled until he could look at me. "Dahlia! You need to get out! Just leg it! Now!" he shouted.

His words snapped me out of my daze. _No_, I thought, his voice still ringing in my ears. _ No one else has to get hurt._

"It's the activation signal! It's transmitting! Get out! Dahlia!"

Pieces of the crumbling ceiling fell around me. The stairs disappeared.

I ordered Mickey to stay by the TARDIS.

The axe was heavy in my grip and even heavier when I swung it.

_CLANG!_

If the world hadn't been going to Hell, I would've thought up another plan, but it was, so I slid into my role as a companion.

After grabbing the loose chains with one hand, I slipped the anti-plastic from my pocket and into my free hand. Honestly, I didn't know how I was going to hold onto the chains.

I finally just went for it.

Gripping the chain with the vial between my hands, I sent off a short prayer. I swung across the cavern.

I kicked out my feet, hitting both plastic men in to the vat. Barely a second later, the anti-plastic followed.

"Dahlia! Let go!"

I glanced below me. The Doctor was holding out his arms.

I was going to bitch at him to go get a fucking ladder but the Nestene's scream of pain shocked me into letting go. The Doctor's strong arms caught me. Burning plastic filled my nostrils. I groaned. I had an awful headache. The Doctor gave me a quick look over for injuries; he then took off toward the TARDIS, not even bothering to set me down until we were right at the ship.

The Doctor took precious moments prying Mickey off the TARDIS. The stupid boy only let go when I smacked him up side the head and screamed we'd leave him if he didn't let go.

We all piled in and disappeared just as the Consciousness erupted.

Mickey stumbled out of the TARDIS first. He collapsed in a group of trash bins. I calmly strutted out after him, shaking my head. _Pansy_.

Lifting my hands up, I examined them. Ruts clung to my swollen, red skin. Flexing them rewarded me with a stinging, burning pain. I dropped my arms to my sides and rolled my shoulders. Nothing I couldn't handle/

The Doctor hovered in the doorway behind me. "Still hurts?" he asked. Concern laced his tone.

I answered him with a shrug. No need to worry him.

"Hey." I turned to him and immediately froze. The Doctor's eyes glowed brightly. They were happy and curious and sad all at once. The Doctor wore a strange smile; it held too many emotions to decipher.

"Thank you," he finished.

Warmth flooded my cheeks. Even if I was just following the script, if felt nice to be thanked. "No biggie- I was just doing what I was supposed to."

The Doctor shook his head, his smiled widening. "No, no just that- you knew what was going to happen, yet you didn't take the easy way out. You didn't tell me, either, hoping I'd take care of it," he faltered, looking unsure of himself. "And I'd be honored to have you travel with me."

The Doctor was asking me to be his companion. That offer earlier hadn't been a mistake or precaution. I met The Doctor's apprehensive eyes.

"We're already been over this, Doctor," I said firmly, "I _have_ to go with you or, you know, the universe will collapse."

The Doctor winced and countered, "I don't like forcing people to travel with me, Dahlia."

Oh. So that's what he was so upset about. He thought the only reason I was going with him was because I had to. Well, time to fix that.

"Doctor, I-"

Mickey cut me off. "You can't! He's an alien! He's a thing!"

Sighing, I held up a hand to The Doctor, signaling for him to wait a moment. I walked over to Mickey. "Mickey, I know you don't understand right now and probably won't later, but I have to do this. Not just for the universe, but for a friend, as well." Koschei in his final moments drifted to mind.

"What kind of friend would ask you to travel with that mad man?" Mickey demanded.

A corner of my mouth twitched into a smirk. "Actually, he's a mad man _with a box_."

Mickey glared. "What difference does it make?"

"Oh, it makes all the difference. Now," I dug around in my pocket, "I need you to do something for me." I pulled out a folded, slightly crumpled envelope. I held it out to Mickey. "This is for Ashley. Hopefully, it'll answer all of her questions. Don't open or read it. Ashley can tell you if she wants."

Mickey stared blankly at the envelope. I flicked it into his lap.

"Just make sure she gets it," I ordered, my irritation sinking through. Turning on my heel, I walked back to The Doctor.

"Doctor, you might find this hard to believe, but there are fewer places I'd rather be than traveling with you," I admitted honestly.

A real smile covered half The Doctor's face, lighting up his eyes like lightning bugs. "And where would you rather be?" he asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

I could practically see the cogs turning in his head.

"Feudal Japan, Universal Studios, or a Queen concert, not to give you any ideas or anything," I teased.

"I guess we should get started then," The Doctor said, motioning for me to enter the TARDIS first.

Once we were both inside, he closed the doors and ushered to the console. The Doctor flew around the console, nearly tripping over me in his excitement. He paused, hand over what seemed to be the final series of buttons, and looked at me. "Dahlia?"

"Yeah?" I was gripping the console tightly in anticipation.

"I promise, no matter what, I'll get you home." His voice was so tense, that if it weren't for the childish gleam in his eyes, I would've thought The Oncoming Storm was back.

I smiled kindly. "I know, Doctor."

The Doctor smiled, too, and typed in the last code. The TARDIS roared to life. We were off.

**And there it is. The fourth chapter. I hope liked it. Remember: Review, please.**


	5. Better Luck Next Time

**Oh. My. God. It's finally done. The usually apologies: Sorry it's late. Sorry it took so long. I am sorry, but holy Jesus. This is way longer than I intended it to be. Around 3,000 words longer than it was supposed to be. That's why it took so long.**

**Now for the thanks! Thank you fanfreak4ever, MissLizziebeth, 13, sieni1, Indigo Dragon Productions, Miss ShadowScar, JayceeJade, Nette Black Salvatore, Flora from France (No, dear, you didn't make any mistakes. I understood you perfectly ;D), AnnaRegina1533, Jenny Loveless, (My fav Doctor are 10 in 1****st**** with 9 and 11 in 2****nd**** and 4 in 3****rd****), and Ereneviana for all your praise and reviews! Hearing that you enjoy my story and character makes my day and keeps me writing!**

**Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

"So, Dahlia, where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time? It's your choice. What's it doing to be?" The Doctor asked. His grin could cheer up a room full of emos.

I leaned on the console and pretended to think. "Let's start in fast forward."

He tapped a few buttons and looked up, raising an eyebrow. "How far?" he urged.

Pretending to search for a number, I finally answered nonchalantly, "One hundred years."

The Doctor pulled a lever and rotated a knob. The TARDIS rattled, the engines screeched, and then everything settled.

The Doctor straightened proudly. "There you go, step outside those doors, it's the twenty-second century."

I pouted slightly, staring at the doors.

"Something wrong?" The Doctor asked warily.

I shook my head. "No, it's just," I smiled impishly, "that's a bit boring, isn't it?"

A smirk relieved The Doctor's frown. Relief unwound his readied muscles. He scooted closer to me, nudging my shoulder, and teased, "What? You want to go further?"

I grinned back. "_Hell_ yes!"

The Doctor chuckled and started the engines. This time though, after he rolled a wheel, he took my hand in his and placed it on some thingamabob. "Pump it seven times exactly," The Doctor directed.

My eyes widened. Was he trying to teach me how to pilot the TARDIS? He never did that on the show with any of his companions. Maybe he did it in real life. This wasn't_ Doctor Who._

I did as I was told. The Doctor turned a dial. The Doctor winked when we landed. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside; it's the year 12005, the New Roman Empire."

I always wanted to see that. Truth be told, I didn't just want to follow the script. Being here with The Doctor made me yearn for my own adventures. I didn't want to be a replacement Rose.

But at the same time, I knew I couldn't stray too far from my original path. Koschei would be so pissed off if he knew I endangered his dimension because of a silly human feeling of wanting to stand out.

Sighing internally, I made a promise to myself to make The Doctor bring me back here. Just because I had to follow the show didn't mean I couldn't do things in between.

"Impressed?" The Doctor inquired teasingly, his breath tickling my ear.

Hadn't he ever heard of personal space?

Suddenly, I was hyper-aware of his presence behind me. The Doctor's head was still hovering over my shoulder; his tall, well muscled body gave off an unnatural heat- Perhaps natural for him; his right arm supported his weight on the console at my side. _God_, I thought, butterflies exploding in my stomach, _if I turn right no, I could kiss him_. I tensed my body as it twisted instinctually.

No! I needed to stop those thoughts. The Doctor made it a rule not to get into relationships with his companions, excluding Rose. _Always excluding Rose._ A bitter taste followed the thought, filling my mouth.

Libido officially killed, I decided to tease The Doctor a bit more. Slowly turning around, I smirked up at him. "Impressed? Not by a long shot, Doc," I snickered.

The Doctor pouted cutely and griped, "Why not?"

Amusement made me snort. "You have to remember, Doctor, I know what this ole girl can do. I won't be impressed just by any old thing," I mocked coyly. Patting his cheek, I giggled, "And you thought you were being impressive."

He cried out indignantly, "I _am_ so impressive!"

"Prove it," I goaded.

The Doctor gave me a "Challenge Accepted" look, exact stance and all. "Right then, you asked for it," The Doctor said lowly, "I know exactly where to go." He reached for the wheel and rolled it multiple times, much long than the first time. Then he leaned in close to me, reaching around to a switch on the console. "Hold on," he mumbled, flipping the switch.

A lever on my right hummed. Smiling crookedly at The Doctor, I languidly tugged the lever down with a finger.

The engines blared to life for the third time; the whooshing noise filled my ears as we whirled through the Time Vortex.

Idly, a thought came to me. _What does the Vortex look like as you fall through it with a nine hundred year old mad man in a blue box that's bigger on the inside?_ While the show gave me an idea of what the Vortex looked like, I needed to know for sure. Perhaps The Doctor would cure my curiosity if I asked nicely.

I slowly blinked back into reality. While the lurching and twirling of the TARDIS hadn't broken my thoughts (IT had actually lulled me farther into them), The Doctor's movement did. He twisted a different lever and curled towards a hotel-style bell, bent on ringing it, but I beat him to it. The Doctor mock glared at me, but I saw the humor in his eyes. I smile back innocently with thinly veiled mischief. We were both so caught up in our staring contest we almost didn't notice the pining of the bell signaled the TARDIS' landing.

I broke first, looking to the doors with watery eyes. The Doctor's grin of victory didn't escape my notice.

"What could ever be out there?" I wondered, puzzled- quite obviously faking- out loud.

The Doctor straightened and strutted to the doors. He made a grand gesture to them and haughtily challenged, "Why not step outside and see for yourself?"

I didn't answer right away. First, I tugged my bag out of the captain's seat, slinging it over my shoulder. Putting on my own air of superiority, I, too, sauntered down the walk way. Stopping right in front of The Doctor, I accepted his challenge, "I think I will."

I stepped outside and was greeted by a very familiar sight. A beautiful gallery made of white and light brown rectangle tile laid out in front if me. Simple but elegant. I stepped down the stairs while looking around.

This experience suddenly became very real. _I'm actually here. I'm traveling with The Doctor! I'm not dreaming; I'm really doing this!_ Excitement bubbled in my chest, nearly spilling over at the realization. It probably seems a little late for this "realization", but come on- would nay Whovian really believe this was happening to them? I mean, I'm gotten kidnapped by Koschei, taken to another dimension, almost died, and it's just now hitting me.

A large hand waved in my face. Attention caught, I stared into The Doctor's grey and blue eyes. He seemed worried.

I hummed in acknowledgement.

"You all right?" he asked, leaning in until he burst my personal bubble . . . again.

"I'm fine," I reassured, "I just amazed I'm here, that's all."

I watched his mouth curl into a grin and form words, though I barely heard what he said.

_I wonder what he tastes like. Or if he's a good kisser. 10's a mind blowing kisser, judging from Martha's reaction, but I don't know about 9. I remember Rose being the only person he kissed and he did it to save her life. What I do know is that he smells amazing- like leather, a newly opened book, and some heady musk I couldn't name._

Biting my lips to keep them from puckering and stiffening when I unconsciously shifted closer to The Doctor, I cut off my hormones and paid attention to what The Doctor was saying.

"Well, if that amazes you then you'll love this," the Doctor buzzed animatedly. He flicked his sonic at the wall; wooden panels peeled away to reveal Earth and its sun.

Mouth falling open in a whisper of "Wow", I shuffled forward and pressed my hands to the icy glass.

The Doctor leaned against the wall beside the window and crossed his arms. "You people spend all your time thinkin' 'bout dying. Like you're goin' to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids, but you never take time to imagine the impossible- that you survive. This is the year 5.5/Apple/26. Five billion years in your future. This is the day . . . hold on . . ." he broke off to look at his watch.

White-blue, yellow, orange, and red light burst out in vines and spheres from the sun. The light was almost too bright to watch. Without thinking, I finished The Doctor's sentence in a soft voice, not taking my eyes off the morbid yet magnificent sight glittering just outside.

"This is the day the sun expands. The end of the world."

* * *

"So . . . you're _not_ impressed, then?" The Doctor grumbled dejectedly. He trudged ahead of me by a step, hunched over with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Sighing, I tucked an unruly, dark brown curl behind my ear for the umpteenth time. "I didn't say that; I'm just not surprised," I defended my reaction. "It's not my fault you're forgetting that I've already seen this adventure on the show."

The Doctor stopped pouting. He looked at me over his shoulder. A smug grin curled across his mouth. "So you _are_ impressed?"

Chuckles broke through my lips. Of course he would deduce that. Oh well, I'd already crushed his ego twice in the span of a few hours- why not encourage it for once?

Giving him a small smile, I gave The Doctor what he wanted, "Yes, I am very impressed."

His grin widened a fraction. "Knew it."

I rolled my eyes, still smiling. The man had too big an ego for one Time Lord. Though, I had to admit, The Doctor looked oh-so sexy when he had his ego stroked. With that thought, my eyes wandered down to his jean clad ass. Normally, I didn't look at a man's ass; I never saw the appeal before. I guess I could make an exception for The Doctor. I sighed woefully. _We all have our burdens to bear._

The Doctor and I entered a larger observation room, this one done in darker wood paneling. Huge pillars lined each side of the room. Glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling between each pillar. A vast window stretched from floor to ceiling and then became the ceiling. Mounted glass cases displayed several very different items.

The Doctor meandered over to the window while I was sidetracked.

That's weird. I stared at an antique scroll. The scroll wasn't weird in itself. What was odd was that the flaking, silver writing covering the parchment from top to bottom.

"Of course. I bring you to the end of the world and you'd rather look at dusty, old artifacts," The Doctor huffed right next to me.

I twitched at his closeness. I nearly told him to back off, but decided against it. Perhaps this was a test of will power. If it was, I wasn't going to be the first to give in.

"I've already watched the scene where you explain how you're not jumping in to save Earth; these artifacts were never explained. Ever! Can I be blame for curiosity?" I mused.

He sighed, but didn't sound disappointed. "No, you can't."

He let silence set in for a few seconds before asking, "Any questions I might be able to shed light on?"

"Maybe," I hummed. "If this is alien, then why does it look Japanese?"

"That's easy! Youkai crash landed in Japan before it had a language. They taught the natives their language to communicate," The Doctor explained.

I frowned. "I thought youkai were demons."

"Their quest to educate didn't end very well."

The Doctor apparently didn't care for answering any more questions, because he tugged me away from the displays and toward the window. We stood side by side and watched the sun flare up.

"Enough about those moldy, old things. What do you think of this?" The Doctor spread his arms, actively trying to convey his meaning.

I didn't respond right away. I merely stared out the window at the satellite surrounded Earth. What _did_ I think?

I thought the sight was beautiful. I thought it was chilling. I thought this whole thing was insane and wonderful and surreal all at once. I thought that me, standing here next to The Doctor was impossible and improbably, yet here I was, gazing out at my home planet and its glaring sun on a space station in the year 5.5/Apple/26.

I thought it was perfect.

Almost perfect.

Loneliness crept up the edges of the moment. Right now, at this point in time and space, I was the only "pure" human in existence. Being alone had never bothered me before, even when I first got dumped in this dimension I had soldiered on, never pausing to acknowledge my isolation. Now the insight threatened my stoniness.

Steeling myself, I met The Doctor's bright eyes with an answer. "It's perfect, Doctor. Thank you." My smile was a pathetic attempt at concealing my inner turmoil.

The Doctor's grin faded. He started to question me but as interrupted by a new voice.

"Who the hell are you?"

We both jerked to face the new occupant of the room. A blue man in a robe colored dark copper glared at us.

The Doctor took the disturbance in stride, flashing another grin. "Oh! That's nice, thanks."

_Poor man, he's going to die and I can't do a damn thing about it._ I'd thought a lot about whom I could save and who I couldn't. Unfortunately, the Steward and The Moxx of Balhoon's deaths were out of my hands. Jabe, however, I could save. All I had to do was not get knocked out, kidnapped, and locked in that room to die.

Easy enough.

"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second now!" The Steward demanded frantically.

_Maximum hospitality zone? Doesn't that mean we should be welcome_? I pondered fruitlessly.

The Doctor rolled his eyes before presenting our alibi. "That's me; I'm a guest, look! I've got an invitation!" He fished out a plain wallet from his pocket and flipped it open for the blue man to analyze. "Look, there you see? It's fine, see? 'The Doctor plus one.' I'm The Doctor and this is Dahlia . . ." he trailed off and stared at me helplessly, realizing he didn't even know my last name, but then continued, "She's my plus one. Is that all right?"

"Well . . . obviously." The gears in the Steward's brain must have clogged because he simply blinked at us for several seconds. Then, the cogs started up again. "Apologies, etcetera. If you're onboard, we'd better start. Enjoy," he recited blandly, near sarcastically.

Grinning, The Doctor nodded at the Steward until he left. Once the Steward was gone, The Doctor left eh blank paper inside the wallet at me. He went to explain what it was, but I beat him to it.

"Psychic paper: shows people whatever you want them to see; saves a lot of time. It can also receive messages from people if they think hard enough," I said lightly, taking the wallet gently and examining it. I handed the wallet back with a bold, new message printed on the paper.

He did a double take before fully comprehending my message. Taken aback, he kept eye contact with me before finally shrugging and shoving the wallet back in his pocket.

I watched the doorway where the Steward had exited. "So," I started conversationally, "is he related to The Blue Man Group?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "How did you know that? Wait- was that on the show, as well?"

I blinked rapidly to clear the astonishment from my mind. _Huh. Didn't expect that, though I probably should've. _"No, I was actually making a joke, but that's an interesting tidbit of info, Doc; care to expand on it?" I drawled mercifully. The Doctor, upon hearing this was new information to me, seemed like he was going to burst if he didn't tell me everything he knew about The Blue Man Group and the Steward.

He threw another grin my way, "Gladly. It's a rather interesting story, too. Ya see, on their home planet the Blue People are all rather short; being tall is a genetic mutation that rarely occurs- like extra fingers or toes in humans. While the few with the mutation aren't ridiculed or shunned by society for the most part, it's really hard living in a world where everything's too small; so, most affected leave the planet in search of a place where they don't stand out."

I only had one thought after The Doctor's lecture: How in the hell did he get that all out in one breath?

Before I could ask him, the Steward entered again.

"We have in attendance- The Doctor and Dahlia," he announced into a microphone, "Thank you! All staff to their positions." At the clapping of his hands, the staff, consisting of about a dozen tiny, blue people clad in black robes, scurried around from out of thin air. The Steward gave orders as they marched in lines out the glass doors and down the hallway: "Hurry now! Thank you- as quick as you can! Come along, come along!" Finally, the staff had left. "And now, might I introduce our next honored guest," continued the Steward," representing The Forest of Cheem, we have trees. Namely, Jabe, Lute, and Coffa."

Two men followed a woman into the room. They actually reminded me of spriggans though without all the glowy bees and magic powers. I frowned to myself. _ If Jabe is a tree, why does she have breasts? Do trees reproduce like mammals or do they use spores and seeds like other plants? Note: ask Doctor later._

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you can keep the room circulating, thank you," the Steward reminded.

The trees moved further into the room and started mingling as more guests arrived.

"Next, from the Solicitors Solco and Jolco, the Moxx of Balhoon."

The Doctor chuckled at my sour expression. "What? Don't like lawyers?"

I scrunched my nose at him. "_No one_ like lawyers. Except other lawyers."

He just grinned, turning back to the doorway.

A moving chair glided in with the Moxx of Balhoon sitting inside.

I always wondered why he wasn't wearing a shirt. Wasn't it rude to attend an event without one? Maybe not. We _were_ five billion years in the future after all.

With my head in the clouds, I missed what the Steward said next. _Wait . . . did he say Repeated _Mean_ or Repeated _Meme_? Because they each give me very different mental images_. I attempted to get The Doctor's attention, but he merely shushed me.

Fine then, see if I ask you anymore questions, I sulked, crossing my arms.

New aliens continued to enter despite my pouting. I was too busy plotting my revenge to notice.

Jabe glided over to us. Well, she approached The Doctor. I was ignored.

Her associates each carried trays covered in little plant shoots.

She took a plant in her hands and presented it to The Doctor. "The Gift of Peace," she sighed airily, "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather."

Taking the plant gingerly, The Doctor wondered at it for a moment and then handed it to me. I cradled the small pot like I expected it to bitch at me for holding it wrong.

"Thank you. Yes . . . Gifts . . . erm . . . ." The Doctor noisily cleared his throat, nearly panicking as he patted down his pockets.

Jabe gazed at him expectantly.

Watching The Doctor squirm like that was way too entertaining (and arousing) but it couldn't last. Even if he'd never be mine, I still didn't want him flirting with Jabe. So, I cut in. "Doctor, why don't you even remember? I told you I packed them before we left," I sighed with mock disappointment as I rummaged in the depths of my pack. I pulled out three holiday crackers and handed one to each of the trees.

The Doctor blinked. Amazement and fascination glowed in his eyes.

"They're holiday crackers," I gestured to the gifts, "Two people each pull on one end of it until it explodes. The person with the larger half normally gets whatever's inside."

The trees retreated, inspecting their gifts with interest.

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "Holiday crackers?" Why holiday crackers?"

"It's a celebration; every celebration needs holiday crackers. Besides, at least I was prepared. You were floundering around like a fish out of water," I teased.

He frowned for a split second but soon replaced it with another smile. "Yeah, I was. Thanks for the save."

The tips of my years burned. Hoarsely, I replied, "No problem, Doctor- any time."

His gaze lingered on my even though I had turned back to the Steward.

"Sponsor of the main event, please welcome The Face of Boe," the Steward boomed, announcing the giant head rolling through the doors in his jar on wheels.

Resisting my urge to grin, I settled for discretely staring at The Face of Boe. _Jack! I love Jack! But who doesn't love Jack? He should remember me, right? Should I talk to him?_ I wondered, curiously tilting my head to the side and fixing my mint green eyes on Jack, following him as he rolled around the room. I swear he winked at me briefly. A small smirk broke through my reserves. _Yep. Definitely going to talk to him._

Warm breath tickled my ear. Startled, I jerked away and stared at the assailant. The Doctor blinked innocently. My ear felt cold.

I cleared my throat, "Yes, Doctor?"

"Interested in The Face of Boe, are we?"

I blinked and twisted my mouth into a frown. There was an edge to his tone, making the question seem like a demand. Raising my arms in surrender, I attempted to placate his anger (_Maybe he thinks I'm going to elope with Jack_ *snicker*), "Kind of . . . Yeah . . . I mean, he's a _giant head in a jar_ with _tentacles_ for _hair_- why wouldn't I be interested? God, Doctor, you're the one who said I shouldn't be blamed for curiosity," I huffed and glared, crossing my arms.

The Doctor deflated immediately, though it was barely noticeable, and cleared his throat. He shifted awkwardly and turned away from me, just in time to greet the next visitor.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," The Doctor said, forcing cheer.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance; I give you the gift of bodily saliva," The Moxx squeaked before spitting.

Luckily I was far enough away that the saliva hit my cheek instead of my eye. It was still disgusting.

The Moxx was given a holiday cracker by The Doctor, who explained what it was, and promptly jerked both sides until the novelty items spilled its contents in his lap. He unfolded the paper crown and placed it on his head before rolling away happily, giggling childishly as he did so.

The Adherents of the Repeated Mean (or Meme) approached next.

Wiping my face, I cautiously eyed the metallic sphere The Doctor was handed.

"A gift of peace in all good faith."

The Doctor took it, tossed it in the air once, caught it, and promptly tossed it to me. I immediately brought the ball as close to my face as possible to examine it, running my rather short nails over the almost smooth surface. Absentmindedly, I handed several crackers to The Doctor. I didn't expect to find an off switch. Cassandra may just be a flap of skin, but she wasn't stupid.

The Steward called out, "And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth The Last Human."

Cassandra rolled through the doors in all her trampoline glory.

"The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

I decided to sneer briefly before turning my attention back to the metal sphere.

"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am," Cassandra giggled bubbly.

The Doctor chuckled softly.

"Thin and dainty," she continued, "I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me, moisturize me." One of her white clad attendants sprayed her with something from a canister. "Truly, I am the last human."

The object I was grasping creaked as my grip tightened on it. A tick had probably appeared at my jaw by how hard my teeth were clenched. The Doctor glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"My father was a Texan. My mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on Earth and were among the last to be buried in its soil." Her voice grated my nerves like a cheese grater on skin. I was trembling now, barely keeping my desire to throw the metal sphere at her, just to see if she'd rip in half. "I have come to honor them and . . ." Cassandra sniffled, like she was actually going to start crying, ". . . say goodbye. Oh, no tears." The other attendant dabbed her eyes. "No tears. I'm sorry, but behold! I bring gifts. From Earth itself: the last remaining ostrich egg."

Cassandra spoke as another staff member came in and displayed the egg on a pedestal. "Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband?"

I snorted. Either from the wrong facts or the pathetic joke, I don't know.

"Who knows! Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines!" Cassandra giggled obnoxiously. She muttered to herself for several second and then introduced a jukebox, which was wheeled into the room. "And here, another rarity; according to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

One of the staff who rolled it in pushed a button on the jukebox. A record fell into place. _Tainted Love_ by Soft Cell filtered through the speakers.

I always thought the song was okay; I didn't enjoy it, didn't hate it. The Doctor seemed to enjoy it, though. He was bobbing his head in time to the music.

My grip on the orb finally slackened and my arm dropped limply to my side. I sighed heavily.

"Ever tried telling them they're wrong? The archeologists," I asked, genuinely curious.

The Doctor smile wryly. "Once . . . and I'll never do _that_ again."

I smiled back and mocked, "Oh yes, because you're a Time Lord. You laugh at archeologists."

His chuckle sent shivers up and down my spine.

_I guess I can forgive him- just this once,_ I thought, knowing this wouldn't be the only time I forgave this man.

"Refreshments will now be served. Earth death in thirty minutes," the Steward announced in closing.

This was the time when Rose- completely overwhelmed- had run from the room to have a panic attack. I, however, was completely calm; a little jittery from nerves, excitement, and leftover anger, but otherwise fine. I wasn't a child who needed a time out. I was a young woman who was new on the job. I'd settle in eventually, once I got into the groove of things.

Slipping the metal ball into my bag, I advanced toward Jack, not bothering to check The Doctor's reaction.

The Face of Boe watched me while I approached. He smiled.

"Hello, sir," I greeted.

_Hmm . . . Why so formal, my dear? I agree it's been such a long time since we've last seen each other, but that's no reason not to greet me with an insult. _A deep voice, Jack's voice, purred in my ear.

The familiarity he greeted me with shocked me, though it shouldn't have. "Sorry, this is the first time we've met for me. I might not be up to par with your memory," I apologized.

_No need to apologize, Changeling, I understand. Your Doctor doesn't like to do things in order. I'm also curious as to where your other companion is. He's not going to cause trouble is he?_ Jack's smirk formed in my mind while his mouth in reality never moved.

"Changeling? Other companion? What're you talking about? And he's not 'my Doctor'. I refuse to be one of the women who try to possess him when I can't have him."

Jack laughed and chose to ignore my first two questions in light of ribbing me. _Not yours _yet_ you mean._

_What?_ I mouthed silently.

_What I mean is that you don't realize you already own his ass. The signs are so obvious, or so you told me when we met._

"When we met?" No way. No way was I and The Doctor together when we met Jack. There was no way we were together _at all._

My pulse quickened with anticipation.

Jack replied in a satisfied tone. _Before, actually; you two had been together for a short while before that. Now that I've seen it for myself, I can't believe you never noticed. The Doctor's being obvious in his attraction._

"He-he's not attracted to me," protested weakly.

I can see why he is; you're very beautiful. Dark curly hair, intelligent green eyes, great figure, perfect height to tuck under his chins and protect, and that's not even adding your personality.

He was teasing me now. His tone said it all, but my cheeks flushed all the same. "He _can't_ like me like that."

_You still doubt my intuitive prowess. Tell me then- why not?_

My mouth twisted into a grimace. "He likes blondes," I growled scathingly, "Bubbly blondes who need to be protected and led. I don't need to be protected. I won't be led. And I am most certainly _not_ _blonde_."

_All of that is true, but The Doctor loves those things about you_, Jack countered. _I believe what he said was "She blasted into my life one day and I couldn't take my eyes off her after that"._

I gnawed on my lip; the pain kept me from doing something stupid.

"Earth death in twenty minutes. Earth death in twenty minutes," a robotic, female voice informed over the intercom.

_It's alright to be nervous, but you shouldn't be. Everything will fall into place. You just need to be yourself._

Platform One rumbled and shook, tilting me off kilter for a second or two. Right after it passed, the Steward reported over the com, "Honored guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence."

"What if I mess something up, Jack?" I fretted. "Now that you've told me, I could—"

_Nothing is going to change, Changeling. You're going to be with The Doctor for a very long time_, he soothed. _You also shouldn't worry about Bad Wolf or Canary Wharf_.

Guilt and sorrow overcame me. Jack. Poor, poor Jack. To set everything right, I'd have to bring him back to life. He'd never be able to die. He would be miserable and jaded for the rest of his life.

I placed my hand against the cold glass of the tank. My eyes burned with unshed tears. "Jack," I whispered hoarsely. Clearing my throat, I tried again, "Jack, I'm _so_ sorry for—"

He cut me off quickly but not unkindly. _Shush, sweetheart, you've apologized enough to me over the years. I'm tired of hearing them._

I gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Jack."

Jack grinned for real this time. _You're welcome, Changeling._

"Will I get to talk to you again before you leave?" I asked, removing my hand from his tank.

_You may speak to me whenever you wish._

I smiled again, wider this time, and started back to The Doctor.

_Oh, and Dahlia._

I paused to look at him over my shoulder.

_You'll be happy to know I won't have any hot water for the entirety of my stay here._

I grinned that time. Another person saved.

* * *

**That's the end of this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! And I'll be answer any of your questions (whether it's an answer you'll like is another topic entirely ;P)**

**New Challenge! What was the message Dahlia sent The Doctor on his psychic paper?**


	6. Exploding Sun

**Look! It's another chapter! How can this be? Two in one month? It must be a Christmas miracle! Yeah, actually, it is. I really have no clue how I managed to write all this so soon after posting the last one; maybe it's the fact that I'm on Christmas break and don't have to worry about school for two weeks.**

**Oh! And some other good news! My sister got married two Saturdays ago! The wedding was great; the food was awesome; I nearly bawled my eyes out; and the entire wedding party danced Gangnam Style like a bunch of morons.**

**Also, answer to the challenge from the last chapter: "It's all right, Doctor. We all have our lackluster moments." Sorry to all of you who thought it was something perverted (LittleMarauderGirl), but Dahlia just isn't that forward at the moment.**

* * *

The Doctor hurried me over to a panel on the wall and removed it from its place. He spoke while he fiddled with the wires inside, "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that." He crossed a red wire with an orange one, causing a spark to singe his fingers.

I watched Jabe approach from the corner of my eye.

"What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines- they pitched up about thirty hertz, is that dodgy or what?" The Doctor asked the tree without looking up from his work.

Jabe gave him a self-disapproving smile. "It's the sound of metal; t doesn't make any sense to me."

He frowned at her, eyes flickering to me for a second and then back to her. "Where's the engine room?"

"I don't know . . . but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you . . . and your—"

I cut her off, "Let's get a few things straight before you start assuming things. I am not his wife, nor am I his partner, concubine, escort, or _prostitute_." Pausing to glare at her, I continued, "I'm his friend and companion. And even if you're attempting to flirt with him, that's no reason to ignore or insult me." I clasped me hands together behind my back and locked eyes with The Doctor. He looked . . . Intrigued? . . . Puzzled? I couldn't tell. It could've been both; it could've been neither. I broke eye contact with him.

"Well," I said, not staring at either of them for very long, "I'll leave you two to . . . pollinate, or whatever it is you'll be doing. I am going to resume my conversation with Mr. Boe over there."

With that adieu, I spun on my heel and left, calling over my shoulder, "See you later, Doc."

"Earth death in fifteen minutes. Earth death in fifteen minutes." The computer's voice echoed ominously through the room.

* * *

"Hello dear," Cassandra said as I passed.

I stopped and, swallowing my pride, greeted her with a strained smile, "Hello, Miss O'Brien."

She giggled. "Oh please, call me Cassandra."

I nodded and attempted to sneak away, but Cassandra didn't stay quiet like she was supposed to.

"Such a pity, isn't it?" Cassandra sighed dejectedly, gazing out the viewing window at Earth.

No, fuck this. I am done. I am fucking done. I will not stand here and listen to his bitchy skin flap. "Cut the shit, Cassandra," I snapped, "I can see right through that act of yours."

She blinked blankly at me, but I saw the spark of realization in her eyes.

"What do you mean, dear?"

I scoffed, "Oh please, you're so fake and plastic, Barbie's jealous. You don't care about Earth dying; this is just another appearance to show off how hideous your last procedure made you."

Cassandra looked positively aghast. Then, she turned furious. "Never in my life have I heard—"

"Sure you have. You just chose not to listen." I face her and gave her a look filled with as much condescension and thinly veiled patience that I could muster into it. "Face it, Cassandra; your fifteen minutes are up."

* * *

By the time I'd finished with Cassandra, Jack had left the room.

_Maybe he went to his suite_, I thought.

After getting directions from a few of the staff, I cautiously made my way through the hallways. Several corner later, I found my path blocked by two of the Adherents. I quickly turned back the way I had come, only to see the other two Adherents.

_Shit_ was the last thought I had before being knocked unconscious.

* * *

I woke up to Britney Spears' _Toxic_ shrieking in my ears. Not that I don't like the song or anything. I actually enjoy it from time to time but right now, all the high notes were just making my headache worse.

I groaned and shoved myself into a kneeling position. I couldn't lie around! The sun filter was going to start descending soon! I needed to get out! Sure, The Doctor would save me, but Jabe would still die. I'd resolved to stop her death a long time ago and wouldn't be stopped now.

I stumbled to the door and, when it didn't immediately open, attempted to pry it apart with my fingers. Obviously, that method didn't work. I needed a better idea- or any idea, really. I paced furiously while thinking.

Up and down the steps; to each and every corner; from wall to wall; I paced so vigorously my feet started aching.

Then it hit me like a Gibbs' slap to the head.

I scuttled to my bag and ripped it open, and then I searched for the object that would solve all my problems.

_Stupid fuckers_, I thought victoriously. _They should've taken my bag._

Why didn't I think of this sooner- as a back up plan? I had already found out the laser screwdriver was equipped with an actual laser; I could use it to cut through the door!

Cool metal connected with my palm. I wrenched my arm out of the bag and faced the sealed doors. Dumping my pack on the floor, I ordered the laser, "Setting 63."

The laser whirred and clicked three times. Then, the tip sparked brightly.

I pointed the screwdriver at the top of the seam of the doors, mentally ordering it to fire.

A beam of concentrated heat burst from the end; it hit right where it was aimed. Liquid metal dripped from that spot as the beam worked its technological magic.

"Earth death in ten minutes."

Goddamn intercom, always raining on my parade. I had about a minute or two before the sun filter started descending.

Halfway down, I heard footsteps. Whoever the feet belonged to stopped outside the door.

"Hello? Who's in there?" a man asked.

"Doctor!" I exclaimed, "The Adherents knocked me out and locked me in here. I'm getting the doors open, but the sun filter's going to descend soon. See if you can't get ahead of—"

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

_Shit. Too late._

"Doctor, hurry!" I urged, panic bubbling in my chest.

"I'm on it!" he barked.

I examined the door again. Three fourths finished. I just needed a bit more time . . . . A glance upwards told me I didn't have it.

"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."

"Doctor!" I was crouching now, still using the laser. Searing golden light blazed barely a foot above my head.

"I know!" The Doctor growled. Probably through gritted teeth.

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

"Don't let your guard down, Doctor," I called out, not moving from my position on the floor.

"Sun filter rising . . . Sun filter descending."

I heard The Doctor curse. "This is just what we need. The computer's getting clever," he spat.

"Stop your bitching and keep working!" I shrieked at him.

"I'm not bitchin'! It's fightin' back!"

My heart was pounding so quickly and harshly I felt it was going to give out; my palms were slick with sweat; my jaw ached from being clenched so long. The burning light was so close now I could feel it on top of my head. I could smell a few strands of my hair that were too frizzy to stick in place being singed. The stench made my stomach twist.

_Please-please-please-please . . . ._

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."

I slumped wearily and sighed heavily before examining my work: A hole had been completely melted through the doors because I hadn't moved the screwdriver and a glowing, white hot line traced where the doors met.

"Doctor?" I panted, "Doctor, can you get the doors open?"

Please let it have worked . . . .

"I'm not . . . Wait! Yes! You completely melted the locks! This'll only take a second or two!"

Collapsing, I was happy to wait and catch my breath, but I was forgetting something. What was it?

When I rested my hand on the floor, the laser screwdriver clacked against the wood.

Shit! I couldn't let The Doctor see it! He would ask questions- questions I couldn't answer! Lunging for my bag, I managed to shove the screwdriver inside just as the doors swooshed open.

The Doctor rushed in first, followed by Jabe. He peeled me off the floor and hugged me tightly to his chest.

"Doctor?" I asked quietly, stunned by the sudden affection.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he said, his voice muffled by my hair.

I stiffened. He sounded so distraught, like he didn't believe he'd get to me in time. Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around his larger frame. His grip on me tightened.

"Sshhh . . . It's all right, Doctor. You saved me just like I knew you would. There's no need to go all gloomy on me," I soothed awkwardly, petting his back through the thick leather of his jacket.

I felt him smile against my hair. "I'm not bein' gloomy- just relieved," he replied, snuggling even closer to me, if that were possible.

I stopped myself. _He is _not_ snuggling me. No matter how much it feels like it_.

Deciding not to stress over The Doctor's behavior, I relaxed into his embrace and enjoyed it, reveling in his mind-fogging scent.

The Doctor seemed to enjoy this, because he started humming a nameless tune and stroking my spine.

The computer interrupted the moment: "Earth death in five minutes."

Shit. I'd completely forgotten. Slowly, I peeled myself away from The Doctor and looked at his confused expression. "Doctor . . . the station . . ." I attempted to explain. He caught on to my meaning quickly; letting out a soft, sharp "Oh!" However, he didn't release me when he came to this realization.

"Doctor," I tried again. This time, I let my arms fall to my sides and out half a foot of distance between us. That got his attention.

"Oh," he mumbled dejectedly, shuffling away from me.

I winced. It felt like I was rejecting him after he'd asked me out.

To assure him I wasn't in any way rejecting his affection, I took his hand to lead him toward the door. "Come on," I said, "We've got a space station to save."

He perked up immediately, following me to the door.

I paused for a second to grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder. The next second both of us were running down the hall to the Manchester Suite.

* * *

When we entered the Manchester Suite, Jabe was telling the other alien guests that Platform One had been infiltrated by the spiders.

_Speaking of spiders_, I thought and searched my bag for the sphere I'd placed in there earlier.

I was surprised to find the metal ball still in its original form and not a clinking spider.

Cassandra interrupted my contemplation: "How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me."

I followed The Doctor, standing at his right while Jabe stood at his left. He asked me, "Dahlia, can I borrowed that?"

I shrugged. "Sure, you'll have to activate it, though."

He grinned, taking the ball from me and then slipping the sonic from his pocket. He activated the sonic. A high pitched buzzing filled my ears; after only a few seconds, the ball transformed into a spider.

Cassandra screamed, "That's a spider device! Kill it!"

The Moxx of Balhoon cut in, "Summon the Steward!"

Jabe shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid the Steward is dead."

"Who killed him?" Moxx questioned in a shocked tone.

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe! He invited us!" Cassandra accused while Jack shook his head. "Talk to the face! Talk to the face!"

"Shut up, skin flap," I barked.

"Easy way of finding out. Someone brought a little pet on board," The Doctor piped up. He set the spider on the ground. "Let's send him back to Master."

At first the spider didn't seem to know where to go; it just stared at Cassandra. She twitched (as much as a piece of skin can twitch) suspiciously, but the spider passed her by to stand in front of the Adherents of the Repeated Mean (Meme?).

Cassandra was once again the first to indict, "The Adherents of the Repeated Meme! J'accuze!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes and strolled over to the Adherents. "That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it . . . ." One of the Adherents attempted to hit him, but he just nonchalantly ripped its arm off. "A repeated meme is just an idea. And that's all they are. An idea." He ripped a wire out of the arm; all of the Adherents crumpled into a pile of raven robes.

While everyone else gasped in shock, Cassandra merely rolled her eyes.

The Doctor kept his cool and explained, "Remote controlled droids- nice little cover for the real trouble maker. Go on, Jimbo." Gently, he nudged "Jimbo" with his foot. "Go home."

The spider skittered over to Cassandra. She sneered, first at her robot, then at The Doctor. "I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed," she spat.

The Doctor smirked. "What are you going to do, moisturize me?" he mocked, chuckling.

"With acid," Cassandra snarled. "Oh, too late anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you carried them as gifts; tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face."

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid is that?" The Doctor snorted.

"I had hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous.

The Doctor growled bitterly, "Five billion years and it still comes down to money."

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am The Last Human, Doctor. Me- not that freaky little kid of yours," Cassandra said, glaring at me.

The Moxx of Balhoon spoke up, "Arrest her!"

Cassandra responded dully, not the least bit intimidated, "Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option."

"Earth death in three minutes," echoed the computer.

"And here it comes," Cassandra chirped, "You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shared in our rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? 'Burn, baby, burn.'"

"Then you'll burn with us," Jabe said calmly. My respect for her rose a few points at how easy she made not panicking look.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Cassandra giggled coyly, "I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but . . . I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate!"

A series of explosions thundered from all corners of the ships, swiftly followed by the spider in front of Cassandra self-destructing.

Cassandra continued as if she hadn't decided to murder everyone onboard, "Force field's gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick- just like my fifth husband." She snickered nastily. "Oh, shame on me. Buh-bye, darlings! Buh-bye, darlings!" she called out while she and her bodyguards flickered out of sight via teleporter.

The PA system clicked on again. "Heat levels rising."

"Reset the computer!" The Moxx demanded.

"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe replied.

I beat The Doctor in speaking his thoughts. "No, we'll do it by hand. Doctor, there must be a system switch."

He nodded and marched toward the doors. "Dahlia, Jabe, with me. You lot- just chill!" he ordered as he left the room.

I stopped Jabe from following. She looked at me questioningly. "Stay here. The head levels will burn you alive. You need to stay here and help the others; try and keep behind the pillars as much as possible. Maybe even move to a room without windows," I ordered, side stepping to the door.

"Earth death in two minutes. Earth death in two minutes."

She nodded in understanding and shoved me toward the door.

I took off down the hall, desperately trying to remember to breathe through my nose and find The Doctor.

I nearly dashed by the ventilation chamber. I would've passed it, but I saw a leather jacket flutter inside.

I skidded to a halt right behind The Doctor, who was staring hopelessly at the whirling fans.

"Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."

I spotted the reset lever on the far wall and spat out a curse for whoever designed this place. "Who looked at the blue prints and said 'Oh! We'll put the life saving reset lever on the far wall with some big ass fans in front of it! That's a fantastic use of my degree!' Fuck them," I grumbled under my breath.

The Doctor gave me a weak smile that came out as a grimace.

"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."

He pulled down the lever beside us and watched the fans slow down. He released the lever; the fans immediately sped up.

I snatched the lever and jerked it down—and almost let it go. _I probably should've thought that through_, I groaned internally.

"External temperature: five thousand degrees."

"Doctor, you better haul ass across that walkway, because this thing's heavy as a mother fucker," I panted.

The Doctor beamed and rushed to the fans.

"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."

"Yeah, I fucking know that, you shitty alarm. Why don't you start doing something useful- like shutting the hell up?" I growled through gritted teeth. Cussing the intercom out wouldn't do any good, but it kept me concentrated on holding the lever- not my hands, which were crackling and searing between the mix of intense heat and the metal bar I had a death grip on.

"Heat levels hazardous. Heat levels hazardous."

"Oh, fuck you."

The Doctor finally dodged the first fan's blades. He skittishly stared at the next.

"Shields malfunctioning. Shields malfunctioning."

The heat was taking its toll. I was drenched in sweat and my arms were quivering with the force I was exerting to keep the lever down.

The Doctor glanced back over his shoulder at me. A panicked look crossed his face.

"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."

"Doctor, if you hurry and reset the system, I'll kiss you." I called out my bribe weakly.

I must've faded out for a few seconds because the next thing I knew, The Doctor was at my side, saying my name, and the room was cooling rapidly.

Blinking spots from my eyes, I breathed in deeply to get as much oxygen as I could. I briefly registered The Doctor attempting to gently pry my hands off the lever. I relaxed my nearly numb hands. Sparks of pain raced through my fingers and palms as the blood flowed through them again.

When my hands slipped from the bar, something slime-y slid from both of my palms. At first, I thought it was just sweat that had been trapped beneath my hands, but The Doctor's strangled cry made me take a look.

I was too exhausted to react at seeing the entire palm of both my hands had melted off, leaving a thin membrane to hold all the muscles and tendons together.

_That's bad_, I thought blankly. "That's bad, right Doctor?" I needed him to confirm what my fogged brain suspected.

"Yeah . . . Yeah, that's bad," he choked out, reaching for my hands and gently taking them in his larger, rougher ones. "God, Dahlia, I'm so sorry. I-I should've—"

I wobbled side to side, but still commanded firmly, "Sh . . . Shut up, Doctor. We . . . we'll ta-lk later. Right now . . . get me some water." I pointed at my bag; it had been carelessly dropped on the floor once again. I needed to take better care of it.

He obeyed without question and soon held an open bottle of water to my lips. I tried to control how fast I drank, but I really didn't care if I puked. U was just thirsty.

The Doctor carelessly tossed the bottle away when it was empty. "How are you feeling?"

I swallowed. "Better." And I really was. I could think clearer now, and I wasn't about to collapse. Though the ad outweighed the good; my whole body was shaking, my hands were starting to sting, my lungs burned, my throat and mouth felt like sandpaper, and I just wanted to sleep.

The Doctor frowned, his expression saying he didn't believe me. I didn't blame him.

"I'll take you back to the TARDIS. Get you hands started healing," he mumbled more to himself than to me.

"No," I refused.

He shook his head, "You need medical treatment."

"I know that, but first we need to finish with Cassandra. You can doctor me all you want afterwards," I finalized.

The Doctor slumped in defeat. "Fine, but you're not walking."

"Wha—"

After slinging my bag over his shoulder, he gathered me up bridal style. I squeaked and slung my arms around his neck, clutching at him with my forearms and elbows since my hands were out of commission.

"Hold on," he said and ran down the halls as fast as he could.

The Doctor set me down next to Jabe when she met us at the door. I surveyed the damage around the room. Fires were being put out; blue people were cleaning Jack's tank; others were standing around the Moxx of Balhoon's chair, mourning over the pile of dust that now sat there. Guilt nipped at my guts even though I knew I couldn't ensure his safety.

Jabe followed my line of sight and looked at the ground. She wrung her hands together and cleared her throat. "The Moxx could not be saved," she confirmed sadly.

"I know," I whispered roughly. Then, I turned back to The Doctor. The anger on his face made me shudder. This was nothing like when I first met him; the barely controlled fury blazing right beneath his skin and behind his eyes frightened me. I wouldn't deny that.

This was The Oncoming Storm.

Jabe lightly touched The Doctor's arm. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm full of ideas. Bristling with 'em!" he snapped. "Idea number one: Teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some sort of feed." He marched over to the displayed ostrich egg. "Idea number two: This feed must be hidden nearby." He smashed the fake egg without a second thought, revealing the device inside. "Idea number three: If you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed." He twisted the device's dial.

Cassandra faded back into view. She hadn't noticed and continued on with her chattering. "Oh, you should've seen their little alien faces- all helpless and bleating and—" She finally stopped to realize where she was. "Oh . . . ."

The Doctor sneered, "The Last Human."

Cassandra frantically attempted to lie, "So, you passed my little test. Bravo! This makes you eligible to join . . . um . . . the Human Club—"

"Come on Cassandra, do you really think we'll believe that pathetic excuse? You can do better than that," I taunted.

"People have died, Cassandra," The Doctor seethed, "You murdered them."

"It depends on your definition of people," Cassandra threw out carelessly.

_Bad move._

"And that's enough technicality to keep you lawyer dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, Doctor, and witness the effect of beauty upon the legal system. Oh, I will dazzle them! Charm the sternest jury; seduce the stiffest judge," Could she even have sex? She didn't have the bits and pieces other women did.

I wrinkled my nose and sharply shook my head in an attempt to banish the mental images now assaulting my brain. _Eugh! That's disgusting! I don't want to visualize that!_

Cassandra continued, "You stand in court and watch me smile and cry and flutter—"

"And creak?" The Doctor cut her off.

Cassandra hastily asked, "And what?" She was confused, much like everyone else in the room except me and The Doctor.

"Creak- you're creaking."

"What?"

Now everyone could hear the sound. No one could deny that Cassandra was indeed creaking.

I set my mouth in a firm line as I watched her start to panic.

"I'm drying out! Oh sweet heavens, moisturize me, moisturize me! Where are my surgeons, my lovely boys? It's too hot!" she wailed pathetically.

"You raised the temperature," The Doctor smirked, basking in Cassandra's anguish.

I swallowed thickly. Should I help? Cassandra deserved to die. I hated her. The Doctor hated her. Everyone on Station One hated her. She'd murdered innocent people. But the question wasn't if I should help; it was could I stomach the feeling afterwards.

"Oh dear God, have pity! Moisturize me! I'm too dry, oh Doctor- I'll do anything, please, I'm sorry!"

I may hate Cassandra, and she was a horrible person, but I couldn't just stand by and watch her die. The Doctor didn't need a companion who wouldn't tell him when to stop. He needed someone who would draw a line and tell him when he'd crossed it. I had to be that person.

"Doctor, help her." It was supposed to be an order, but my voice was too soft, too shaky, and too unsure.

"Everything has its time. And everything dies," he growled at me.

"Yes, it does, but nothing gives you the right to dictate who lives and who dies," I bit back.

He looked back at me, subtly relaxing, and seemed to think my words over.

Cassandra's agonized scream brought us back to the situation at hand. "I'm too young! I'm too young!" she shrieked. Holes split her too thin flesh. More and more appeared until Cassandra split apart and exploded. Pieces of her flew to all sides of the room.

* * *

"Shuttles four and six departing. This unit now closing down for maintenance. Closing down."

I ignored the computer and stared out the window at the floating chunks of rock, cradling my stinging hands close to my chest.

The sound of wheels rolling closer, followed by footsteps, made me perk from my brooding; deep voice greeted me. _Hello, Dahlia._

I turned around and smiled sadly. "Hey, Ja—" Then I noticed someone else was with him. "I mean, Boe."

Both males laughed. Or, I assumed the newcomer was a male. He looked like a human man in a clean cut suit, but his entire head was covered with an odd interpretation of a black motorcycle helmet.

"It's all right; you can call him Jack around me. I know all about his past, who he really is, and who you and The Doctor are," Mystery Man reassured, reaching out his hand.

Smiling weakly, I shook his hand. "I'm sorry, I don't know you. Do we meet in my future?"

He chuckled again, "Yes, we do, and I have to say, I'm very glad we did. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."

I blinked. Wow. I'd saved his life? But who was he? Someone from an episode I'd forgotten? "What's your name? Maybe it'll jog my memory if I knew it."

Mystery Man shook his helmeted head. "Sorry, I can't tell you. If you knew, something might go wrong. You understand."

I nodded. Of course I did.

Mystery Man shuffled a bit. I felt his smile even though I couldn't see it. "Well, I'll leave you two to it, then." He stroked Jack's tank lovingly. "I'll wait outside." And then he left.

Jack chuckled at my surprised expression. _You should close your mouth, Changeling. The Doctor might take advantage of it._

I snapped my moth shut. My cheeks burned. "Shut up, Jack."

_Never. We both know you enjoy hearing me talk._

A real smiled graced my lips this time. "So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked, suddenly nervous.

_More like reassure you that you shouldn't be afraid of the future. And to also thank you, since I haven't had the chance to- in either of our time streams. While my life has been anything but perfect, you saved me from destroying myself. Changeling, you forced me to see that I couldn't run from my problems, because if I did, they'd come back a whole lot worse. Thanks to you, I'm not half as jaded as I could be. _Jack paused to let this sink in.

"I-I don't understand, Jack. What're you talking about?" I scrambled for something-anything- to say. "You gotta help me out here, Jack. I'm grasping at straws."

He chuckled. _Don't worry. In the future, you'll understand better than I ever will. Right now though, all you need to focus on is making sure The Doctor understands._

"Understands what?" I pouted. Why did everyone always think that just because I knew a lot of shit about this universe that I should know every little allusion they shove my way?

_You already know, so don't try and play dumb. Just think about it for a while, after you've had some rest. It'll come to you._

A heavy sigh deflated me. I chuckled pitifully. "Thanks, Jack, I feel so much better now."

He winked. _You'd feel even better if you just jumped The Doctor. He wouldn't mind, and you both could release so much tension. I suggest just stripping down and –_

"I'll see you later, Jack!" I interrupted when my ears started burning.

Jack laughed and said his goodbye as well, leaving me to my silent brooding once again.

Of course, my moping session didn't last long, because The Doctor was at the door now, leaning against the frame.

I sighed, "The earth's gone- wiped out in a fiery explosion, but no one watched. We were all too busy saving ourselves. All of the history, gone in a ball of flame, and no one saw."

"Come with me," he said and held out his hand.

I held out my own for him to cautiously grip by the wrist. The Doctor silently led me back to the TARDIS.

* * *

A minute or two later, The Doctor and I were standing on the streets of Cardiff, watching the people pass by.

"You think it's going to last forever," The Doctor said quietly while he looked at the ground, "People and cars and concrete. But it won't. One day- it's gone, even the sky." He paused, to see if I had anything to say.

"You don't have to say anything else if you don't want to. I already know what happened," I interjected, giving him an out if he wanted it.

He cleared his throat, "I know." He inhaled deeply to steel his nerves. "My planet's gone. It's dead. It burnt like the earth; it just rocks and dust. Before its time."

"I'm sorry," I responded quietly. And I was. The Doctor didn't deserve the torment that had been brought upon him.

"There was a war," he continued, "The Time War. And we lost."

One man shouldn't contain that much grief. It was just wrong. I tried to blink away my tears, but they just overflowed anyway.

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I've been traveling on my own ever since."

Some of his lines had changed. He didn't say he was alone; he said he had been alone. He was accepting me as a companion. I smiled despite my sorrow.

"I'm glad you're accepting the fact that you won't be getting rid of me any time soon." I looked up at him.

He pursed his lips. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yep," I answered immediately, "You know what else I want? Food. I'm starving." My stomach gurgled in confirmation.

I snorted in amusement while he chuckled.

"Come on, we'll get chips," he said.

I shook my head, "Nah, not in the mood for fries. I know this great pizza place that delivers. Besides, I can't exactly eat anything until my hands are fixed." I nodded at my curled appendages.

That got The Doctor worried. "God! How could I forget? Bloody hell, why didn't you remind me earlier instead of letting me witter on?"

He tugged open the TARDIS doors. "First, I'll patch ya up, and then we'll get pizza."

I grinned and shrugged. "Whatever you say, Doctor."

* * *

**I love Jack, don't you? The scene where Jack and Mystery Man talk to Dahlia wasn't supposed to appear, but I wrote it in at the last minute because I couldn't leave Dahlia without another chat from Jack!**

**The next chapter won't be an adventure, just pizza, relaxation, and The Doctor and Dahlia trying to get to know one another.**


	7. Mind Fuck

**Happy New Years everyone! I hope you all had wonderful celebrations with your families and friends!**

**Okay, so first off- this chapter got so off hand it's not even funny. This was only supposed to be around two to four thousand words. Look what happened. It's the longest chapter I've ever written. How the hell did that happen? Anyway, what better way to start the New Year than with another chapter?**

* * *

The Doctor led me through the corridors of the TARDIS. We passed hundreds of doors- some were plain metal, others were a wild array of different colors and styles- but stopped at a plain white one. The Doctor hit an access pad to the left, causing the door to slide open, and walked inside. He motioned for me to follow.

I did so and was nearly blinded by the sheer brightness of the room. Every surface was spotless. Every bit of equipment glittered in artificial light. Even the air was sterile and cold.

After I adjust, I was free to examine the room. It looked like a regular hospital but with unfamiliar and more advanced technology.

"Sit down." The Doctor motioned to one of the examination tables at one side of the room.

Sitting down, I watched him bustle around. He found what he was looking for, a large clear tube, in a chrome cabinet and quickly walked back to my side. He fumbled with the cap; I snickered quietly and played innocent when he looked at me. Displaying my palms, I waited for him to spread whatever was in the tube on them. Finally, The Doctor opened the cap and applied the cool gel.

I blinked in amazement. Now that is cool.

As soon as the colorless goo was applied, it shifted to a pale purple. Tingles prickled my skin.

I looked back at the medicine tube to see what it was called. Gallifreyan symbols stopped my curiosity in its tracks.

"Heh," I grinned, "I don't suppose you'll teach me Gallifreyan."

The Doctor looked back at me nervously. "Um . . . Sorry . . . but, um . . . No, I'm afraid not."

I laughed. "Don't worry, Doctor; I didn't think so."

Grinning, he recapped the tube and set it aside,

"So, um, how long is this stuff supposed to take?" I asked impatiently. I was starving and I really wanted that pizza.

"About thirty, maybe forty-five, minutes," he answered, pulling up a rolling stool to sit on. "I thought we could talk while your hands healed. Ya know, get to know each other better."

I shrugged. "All right, but I'm not good at just rambling on about myself. Why don't you just ask questions, and I'll try my best to answer them?" I suggested.

"Fine by me. Let's start with your full name."

"Dahlia Fae Tombew."

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "Tombew? That's a rather odd name."

I smirked. "Odder than The Doctor?"

He chuckled, "You win that one. How old are? When were you born? Where are you from?"

Of course he would spout off several questions at once. "I'm nineteen. I was born on March 15th, and I'm from Silas, Alabama."

"You don't have much of an accent," he commented.

I brushed it off. "I've never had much of an accent, and living in the U.K. hasn't helped."

The Doctor nodded. "Tell me about your family."

Ah . . . Should've known he'd ask about them. Truth was, I didn't know what to say about my family. Hell, the only time I'd actually thought about them was during the first month in this dimension when Ashley and Jackie wouldn't stop bitching about how a teenage girl shouldn't be alone in a foreign country.

Looking down at my lap, I pretended to be consumed with my healing hands.

The Doctor stayed silent; he merely sat and waited for me to start.

Sighing, I finally caved, "Both my parents are still married; I've got a sister who's five years older than me and a brother who's two years younger than me. We also have three cats. Aaand . . . that's about it."

He frowned. "That can't be all. Did you all get along? Who were you closest to? Did your brother bother you more than your sister did? Are you a daddy's girl? How large was your house? What did your parents do for a living? What were your cats' names?"

I tried to block out his questions. I didn't want to talk about my family; couldn't he see that? Of course he couldn't. He was being oblivious again.

Irritation swelled in my chest. Why wouldn't he shut up?

"Doctor," I snarled.

My outburst surprised him; his mouth gaped open while no sound came out. He looked ready to ask what was wrong, but his jaw clicked shut when it dawned on him. Swallowing, The Doctor kept eye contact for barely a second before breaking it.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Silence overtook us. The humming of the TARDIS soothed my temper, and I regretted how I'd snapped at him. He understood; there was no reason to get pissed off.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I managed to get out what needed to be said: "I . . . I haven't mourned or cried for my family at all since I was brought here."

The Doctor said nothing.

"I feel like the worst person in the world, because . . . shouldn't I have reacted? Shouldn't I feel something?" My voice had risen to shouting now. "Why don't I feel anything, Doctor? Why? I'm not sad or angry- there's barely any home sickness! Did I lose my humanity when I cam here?" I was crying now, full out sobbing and choking on my words.

The Doctor pulled me into a hug. During my rant, he'd moved from his stool to sit beside me on the examining table.

"No, no, you didn't. you never could, you wonderful woman," The Doctor whispered rapidly, "There's nothing wrong with you or what you're feeling."

I sobbed something into his shirt even I didn't understand.

The Doctor continued like he hadn't heard, "I just hope your numb period isn't as long as mine was."

I shifted away from his comfort just long enough to ask, "Numb period?"

He stroked my arm, humming in acknowledgement. "It's the time after a tragedy when nothin' feels out of place or you're just in denial; some have it and some don't. For some people it might take a week to clear up; for others- maybe years." He shifted a bit- only a bit- just enough to stroke my cheek with the back of his knuckles. "I was in denial, and it was such a deep denial that- for nearly a year- I made excuse after excuse for the emptiness I felt in my mind. I stayed inside the TARDIS and monitored nonexistent wavelengths and frequencies. I deluded myself into believin' that there had to be at least _one_ other Time Lord out there."

Sniffing, I carefully rubbed at my drying eyes. "What happened?" I asked, clearing my throat.

"One day, an ordinary day just like all the rest, somethin' in me broke, and everythin' I'd been holdin' back- all the sadness and guilt- flooded." The Doctor finished quietly.

I'd finally calmed down enough to process everything The Doctor had said. No- wait . . . I couldn't juts say _he said_; The Doctor had just spilled part of his soul to me. He told me something no other companion had ever heard.

Pride overwhelmed my depression until all I felt was the need to comfort this man, this tortured, fantastic man.

I interlocked our left hands. "Oh, Doctor . . . .," I sighed pityingly.

We were both silent for a while, purely basking in each others company and the realization that we had something in common, even if it was a horrible something.

Of course, The Doctor always hated silence, no matter how companionable.

"Sorry, got all gloomy on you," The Doctor apologized, laughing nervously. "So, uh," he unwrapped himself from around me. He seemed to think of something to say. He looked at me and asked, "Do you have a phone?"

"What?" Oh, real intelligent, Dahlia. Is this what you'll do every time he hugs you? "Oh . . . um . . . Yeah . . . I-I do. It's, um, in my bag," I mumbled.

He reached for where the rucksack sat on the examining table beside us (When did it get there?), and rummaged around inside for a second before victoriously displaying my flip phone. "You really should clean that thing. It's full of junk!" The Doctor scolded, taking out his sonic screwdriver. "I was gonna do this on Station One, but you were busy chattin' with The Face of Boe." He fiddled with the back of my phone, popping the battery off. "So, with a bit of jiggery-pokery," The Doctor smiled playfully.

I tried not to laugh, but ti couldn't help it. Smiling, I asked, "Jiggery-pokery?"

"Yeah, The Doctor replied, "Came in first at jiggery-pokery. What about you?"

I shook my head, biting my lip, and giggling, "Nah, failed hullabaloo."

He finished with my phone, brandishing it smugly. He almost got to explain. Almost.

"Cool! So now I can make calls when and wherever I want! Just need to watch those roaming charges," I beamed, "Thanks, Doctor."

He slumped and his face fell.

Oh, bugger me. He was trying to impress me again.

I looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I stole your thunder again, didn't I." Not a question- a statement.

Immediately, The Doctor straightened. A grin split his face as he said, "Guess I'll just have to try harder then." He winked.

Even if my cheeks were flushed and I was flustered, I couldn't let him win. "Yeah, you will."

The moment that followed would've been classified as romantic, with all the soul searching eye contact, if either of us had that type of inclination, which we didn't.

Just when I was becoming uncomfortable with our intense staring contest, The Doctor piped up, "What do you want on your pizza?"

I blinked rapidly in surprise, "I was thinking, um, pepperoni and bacon. Hope you don't mind that," I answered, still partially thinking of the last few minutes.

"I'm fine with that. I'll go order." He slipped out the door.

"Wait!"

He popped his head back inside.

"The number is—"

"The one for Samuel's Pizzaria?" He finished with a smirk.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. _How'd he . . . .?_

"I'm The Doctor, that's how." The Doctor grinned and left.

Huh. Who'd-a thought?

He'll be gone for a few minutes, and my hands seem pretty dry. I squirmed off my seat and carefully dug through the right pocket of my jeans. I tugged Koschei's pocket watch into the open and examined it for the thousandth time since it was given to me.

The watch was still beautiful silver; intricate carvings still hypnotized me; and the ticking never faltered, always urging me forward.

I shouldn't be risking The Doctor discovering one of my many dirty, little secrets, but I couldn't help myself; this was my ritual. Whenever I needed reassurance or comfort, I'd take out the watch. Such a worthless object shouldn't have so much power over my confidence, but it did. The watch represented Koschei's faith in me and my abilities. One glance at the watch and I'd face The Oncoming Store. Even if doing so was a death sentence.

I ran my thumb over the glinting surface. A contented smile snuck onto my mouth. Clicking the watch open, I stared at its face. The moving hands lulled me into a blissful, thoughtless trance.

Unfortunately, my peace didn't last long.

Heavy footsteps clanked down the hall, alerting me to The Doctor's presence. I hastily crammed the watch back in my pocket. Not a second too soon, either, because The Doctor came strutting into the med bay right after I'd wiped the guilty look off my face.

The Doctor frowned. "What're you doing up?"

I quickly spouted off an acceptable excuse, "Just looking around; some of this stuff looks familiar but most of it is, well, alien."

"'Course it is! Superior Time Lord technology- stuff like this won't be on Earth for another four hundred years," he boasted.

I rolled my eyes and sat back down on the table.

"Hey, is your 'superior Time Lord technology' finished healing my hands yet?" I demanded.

The Doctor snorted. "Humans- you've got no patience, unlike—"

"Yeah, yeah, unlike the magnificent Time Lords," I mocked sarcastically. "But I asked about my hands, Doctor, not how Time Lords are superior to every other species in the known universe."

He pouted but huffed out a response, "They're fine now. Just peel off the leftover residue and throw it away."

_Leftover residue?_ Looking down at my hands, I saw the deep purple film now covering my palms. _How did I _not_ notice that?_

Slowly and carefully, I peeled the now thick, rubbery coating from both palms and tossed them in the garbage can at the foot of the bed. I inspected my newly repaired skin and was impressed.

The new skin was softer and paler than the old, but that was to be expected; it also showed no sign of the earlier damage. There was no pain at all.

"Now that is cool," I mumbled, slight awe showing in my voice.

"_Cool_. All she says is _cool_!" The Doctor grumbled to himself.

I would've teased him again but decided against it. I had questions of my own and I doubted The Doctor would answer them if he was riled up.

"Can I ask you some questions now?" I requested casually but cautiously.

He grinned and leaned against a wall. Nodding and looking awfully amused, The Doctor encouraged me, "Go on, then."

"Tell me about your telepathy."

He didn't seem too surprised I knew about that little bit of Time Lord Biology. Maybe he was getting the hang of being around someone from another dimension.

"Depends on what you want to know." His grin fell into a smirk.

"Can you read my mind right now?" I was genuinely curious; this wasn't just some game to pass the time.

"I can read your mind, but only if I let my mental shields down. Plus, readin' a person's mind without their consent? That's beyond rude."

I propped my arms on my knees and then put my chin in my hands. "If I gave you consent, how far could you read?"

"Not that far; only surface thoughts. Anythin' deeper than that requires physical contact."

"Show me."

He faltered. His mouth gaped open in surprise while he fought for something to say.

I cannot express how satisfied I was to wipe that smug look off his face. The pride in my chest was almost scary.

"I-I'm not, um, sure if th-that's a good ide-idea," The Doctor stuttered.

"Why not?" I implored. "If it something you only do in dire situations or is it deeply personal . . . .?

He swallowed thickly. "Yeah, seomthin' like that." He gave me a curious look, asking, "Don't see why ya would want me pokin' 'round in ya mind anyway. Thought you humans liked privacy."

I snorted, rolled my eyes, and explained, "I already know to imagine a closed door in front of anything I don't want you to seem buuuut . . . ." As I drew out the last word, I stretched my arms above my head with a groan of satisfaction. I settled my hands behind me and leaned back on them. "If it's some sort of taboo or crazy thing like that, I'm not gonna force or beg you," I finished.

The Doctor's face remained blank for a short period of time before breaking out in another grin. "Won't need to; I'll do it."

I tilted my head to the side. "Really?"

"'Course. Always one to encourage learnin'- me," he said, making his way toward his original seat on the stool.

Elated, I beamed up at him. I couldn't resist saying, "Fantastic!"

The Doctor faced me when he sat and locked eyes with me. "Since you know what I'm about to do, let's get started."

I nodded and leaned forward eagerly, closing my eyes and envisioning the necessary doors locking in front of all my secrets.

My breath quickened when The Doctor placed his hands at my temples; my pulse pumped erratically as his breath fanned over my face. he was close, closer than I expected him to be. Much closer. Did he need to be that close? A memory of Ten and Madame de Pompadour popped up. He hadn't been this close to her . . . .

"Ready?" The Doctor asked lowly.

Had his voice always been so husky?

Wetting my lips and banishing all thoughts of other Doctors, I said, "Ready as I'll ever be." I was proud to say my voice barely shook.

"Right," he seemed to nearly choke on the word, "Here goes."

And then it happened. _It_ of course meant him entering my mind. I'm not really sure how to describe except as . . . _intimate_. So very intimate. I could feel _him_, The Doctor, everywhere, from my physical being to my soul. He glided through the corridors of my mind with ease, admiring and chuckling at what he sometimes found.

I gulped and panted heavily. Warmth was building deep in my gut and, behind another locked door, I begged myself not to orgasm just from this, at least not when he was still inside my mind.

Was he feeling the same thing? Did he always feel like I was feeling right now every time he shared minds with another being? Or was I just being a silly, little ape? And what did his mind look like? I couldn't see what he was seeing, but perhaps . . . .

Yes, there it was; the door at the very edge of my mind that he had entered through. I slipped through it and paused on the other side. The Doctor didn't seem to notice I was wandering off and not staying put like a good little companion should. Though, I never did promise to follow his little rule.

Only a few steps forward and The Doctor's mind came to life around me, painting empty blackness with colors and dimensions.

I now stood in a sophisticated yet sparsely decorated room: the floor was polished oak; the walls were plastered with maroon wallpaper that was daintily painted with silver leaves; and then there were the doors.

There were four on the wall to my left and in front of me, while one stood alone to my right. Each door was unusual and special in its own way. The first to my left gave off a stuck up, grouchy air and was completely black and white. The second in front of me was designed a bit off kilter; its edges and lines were slanted and it had so many colors and patterns I thought I'd go blind if I stared at it too long. But even though the doors were strange, the weirdest part wasn't the entryways; that title belonged to the feeling in my gut triggered by the colors and angles and odd airs.

These doors were familiar to me, but why was that? Wandering closer to the first door, I found out why.

On the first door, a shiny silver number appeared right at the top. _One_, I mouthed, hastily moving to the second door. _Two_. And then the third door- _Three_.

Every door was an entrance to a different Doctor's memories.

Guilt nagged at me. Should I be here? I mean, The Doctor probably didn't even believe I could enter his mind, let alone see all this. This was his mind, his personal haven. Did I have a right to befoul that?

"Well, only one way to find out," I muttered, shuffling toward Door 4. "Okay, so, if this door is locked, then it's safe to say all the others are locked, too. If it's locked, then I immediately leave and never tell The Doctor about this. Ever." With that promise, I reached for the silver handle.

Apparently, my hesitation wasn't needed, because the handle turned on its own, opening the door to my explorations.

As soon as I slipped through the door, I was greeted by the Fourth Doctor.

He smiled and held out a paper bag. "Jelly baby?"

What the fudge was going on? "Um . . . ."

He waved off my bewilderment. "I understand you must be a bit confused. Not to worry, I'll answer any questions for have."

I nodded slowly, asking, "All right, first question: What're you doing here?"

Four frowned at me. "I'm The Doctor. Why wouldn't I be here? This is my mind, after all."

"That . . . That's not what I mean," I sputtered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you mean?" he questioned, popping an orange jelly baby into his mouth.

Sighing, I attempted to clarify, "What I mean is that you're the fourth regeneration; the current Doctor is in his ninth. What're _you_ doing here? Are you some sort of mental defense? If you are, then why aren't you in your ninth incarnation?"

"Ah," Four grinned, "That makes much more sense. This is what you humans classify as a Time Lord thing. Every time we regenerate, the previous form becomes a guardian over that particular incarnation's memories. Personally, I think it makes everything way too complicated, no matter how interesting."

I smiled and said, "I think I'll take that jelly baby now."

"What color?"

"Green."

His face twisted into a disgusted look, and he held out the bag for me. "Here- I'm not touching that color unless it's on top of an orange."

I took the bag, pulled out three green for good measure, and handed the jelly babies back. "What's wrong with lime?" I asked.

"Oh nothing, nothing, except that it's the most revolting taste in the history of forever!" Four flailed his arms, spilling several colored jellies on the ground around us.

I let out a bark of laughter at his behavior, not bothering to try and cover my mouth if he thought it was rude. He was The Doctor, rude was his middle name.

"You think lime's the worst flavor? Orange is only second to grape and banana. None of those should ever be in candy," I retorted, shoving a jelly baby under my tongue.

"Take that back! Orange is the best flavor! It's a fact!"

Snickering, I shook my head playfully. "How's that a fact?"

"Because I said so, and I'm The Doctor, so whatever I say goes," Four barked out decidedly.

I suddenly burst out in laughter at the absurdity of it all. I was in The Doctor's mind, attempting to search through his memories, arguing with his fourth incarnation about which jelly baby flavor's the best.

"What? What's so funny?" Four demanded, frowning.

"Sorry, it's just," I paused to contain my giggles, "this whole situation it ridiculous is the best way."

His frown morphed into another grin, and he ate another jelly baby. "Oh, I knew I'd like you."

I paused and cocked my head. "Hm?"

"When you first entered my mind, your presence told me a few things about you, and I assumed I'd enjoy your company. I was correct."

A sudden caress interrupted my thought process. Oh. Right. The Doctor was still wandering through my mind. How could I forget? And what was he doing? What memories was he exploring? Was it something embarrassing? Knowing The Doctor, it probably was, and he'd use it against me at the first chance he got.

A new question bubbled up. "Can The Doctor hear us talking right now?" I asked Four.

He shrugged. "If he knew you were here, then yes, but he doesn't so he can't."

"Didn't he feel the way I felt when he entered my mind?"

"No," Four answered, "humans aren't telepathic and therefore wouldn't register on a mental level."

"Would he feel that way if I made my presence known?"

"Yeah, or if you just interacted with his memories in a pleasant way."

I raised an eyebrow. "Like we're doing now?"

He chuckled and shook his head, leering at me. "Think more hands on."

Oh. _Oh_. A pink flush colored my cheeks. "Is-is _that_ what he's doing in _my mind_?"

He burst out in heaving laughter, nearly doubling over with the force. "Maybe not to the extent that you're thinking of, my dear."

I sighed out a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. "All right, so, um, how?"

"Like this." Quick as lightning, Four grabbed my arm and jerked me down the hall.

Open doorways flashed by us. I was barely able to peek inside, but each small glance told me the rooms were to a different memory and in chronological order from when The Doctor first regenerated into Four and on.

Suddenly, Four skidded to a halt, nearly causing me to tumble into him.

"Here we are," He proclaimed proudly, shoving me toward the doorway, "In you go."

"Um, all right," I mumbled. _I guess I'll trust you, you crazy, old man. If I trust future you, I can trust past you. You're the expert, not me._

I took a deep breath and tentatively peaked inside- or I would've if Four hadn't shoved me, saying, "Just get in there, stupid girl!"

I fell into a heap inside, but didn't stop there. Apparently, this memory started out on a slope, because soon I was rolling down a steep, grassy hill.

_Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! See Dahlia, this is what happens when you poke around in a Time Lord's mind! A past incarnation shoves you down a hill to your death!_ I thought rapidly, panicking at the possibilities that waited for me at the bottom of the hill, if there even was a bottom. Please don't let there be any rocks.

I came to a stop facedown in a fluffy flower patch.

I rested there for a few minutes, merely breathing deeply and enjoying the silken petals of whatever flower I was currently laying on, but I knew I had to get up to investigate where I'd ended up.

I finally rolled around enough so I was in a sitting position and gazed at my surroundings.

All the air left my lungs with a whoosh. I stared out into an endless field of flowers that, off in the distance, melded with a purple and orange sky. I swallowed and gasped out, "Holy hell that's beautiful."

"Of course it is! This is the most beautiful recreation planet in the entire universe! And I would know," Four piped up from behind me.

I shrieked in surprise and fright, scrambling away from him. "Dammit, Doctor! Don't do that!" I spat, glaring at him.

He narrowed his eyes. "My memories, I do what I want," he said sternly. He started walking away from me. "Come on, you stupid ape, this isn't what I wanted to show you," he called back. Well, it was more of an order.

Standing, I marched after him, grumbling to myself, "Stupid, goddamn Time Lord, needs someone to teach him fuckin' manners. 'M gonna pop him upside the head as soon as . . . ." I trailed off, but kept my scowl in place.

We walked for around ten minutes until something blue entered my vision. I perked up from my slumped position to get a better look and . . . Yes! It was! The TARDIS was only a few yards in front of us; though, she looked a bit more beaten up than she usually did. I raced past Four to get to the TARDIS first and caressed her chipping paint.

"Hello, love," I crooned affectionately, "it's so nice to see you, even if a few hundred years too early."

"She can't hear you, moron," Four scoffed, "You and I can't interact with animate creatures; well, we could, but they can't see, hear, or sense our presence in any way."

I pouted slightly. I really did want to talk to the TARDIS again. She was such an interesting conversational partner. Patting the TARDIS' doors, I sighed, "I guess I'll talk to you some other time then, Sexy."

I had to rush to catch up to Four, who had decided to go ahead without me, and only did when he stopped.

"Doctor?" I pried.

His response was to shove a hand in my face and order, "Shut up and look down there."

With a pout, I did as he said.

Only a yard or two from us stood another Four and Sarah Jane. The Doctor was chatting on about something while Sarah listened, but I couldn't hear from where I was.

Looking at Four for permission, I bounded forward when it was granted with a simple nod.

I caught the end of The Doctor's sentence: ". . . Gardens of Reverent Monks."

"What planet are we on?" Sarah asked breathlessly, spinning in a circle to take in everything.

"Ravlon Res'verra, about seventy billion light-years from Earth in the year 3749," he answered, grinning smugly. He's obviously shown her this to impress her.

Sarah stopped her joyous twirling and turned to stare at The Doctor, carefully examining him. Frowning and with an interrogator's tone, she asked, "Why are we here? Is there some evil plot to use flowers as a means for world domination?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Please, like that can ever happen, silly girl. No, we're here for relaxation; you know, sight seeing."

She scoffed, "One doesn't just go 'sight seeing' with The Doctor. There must be a plot afoot somewhere or else you wouldn't have landed the TARDIS here."

"No evil plots, no running for our lives, no villains trying to kill us today, Sarah," The Doctor said simply, adjusting his mile long scarf. "Just you and I admiring an entire planet of flowers; is that so hard to believe?"

Sarah kept eye contact with him, studying his face and eyes for any sign that he was lying. Suddenly, her serious expression was shattered by a huge grin and chiming laughter. Her joy was infectious, and soon The Doctor was beaming at her, as well, but neither broke eye contact.

I was right beside them now, barely a foot away, and observed every detail of their expressions, trying to translate the emotions in their gaze. I didn't need to try so hard; one look into The Doctor's eyes told me everything I needed to know. This was the day he told Sarah Jane he loved her, but not in any conventional way and certainly not with words. So he did it with flowers, an entire planet filled with alien flowers, and a day of leisure.

_Didn't know you were such a romantic on the inside, Doctor._ I chuckled lightly.

Four situated himself next to me, and we watched The Doctor and Sarah Jane frolic through the flowers (Sarah frolicked; The Doctor stoically followed, rattling off the ways one could die while frolicking).

I didn't attempt to hide the emotions that welled and bubbled over inside my ribcage. I wanted Four to see, but mostly, I wanted The Doctor, my Doctor, to feel them. I wanted him to feel everything I felt for him: the contentment at him finding someone he could love, even if he couldn't vocally tell her; the childish glee at listening to them bicker; the peace of seeing an entire planet covered in flowers; and the joy of just seeing him _happy_, for once. I let every emotion I experienced leak out of my mind and into The Doctor's.

Exhaling shakily, I opened my eyes (Funny, I couldn't remember closing them) and said unevenly, "Is . . . is that what you meant?" My energy had been drained from my body, leaving me exhausted but happy, and my knees wobbled treacherously.

Four steadied me by wrapping his arm around my waist and making me lean into him. "Yeah," he responded slowly, "Exactly what I meant."

We stayed like that for several minutes more before leaving the memory.

As we approached the door I had originally entered through, I asked Four another question that had been bugging me. "Do you know what's happened after you've regenerated? Like, do you have Five's memories?" I don't know why I wanted to know- I just did.

"No. Memories bleeding through to past regenerations is a sign of insanity and should be treated with a mallet to the head," he answered blandly.

I frowned. "Why would it be bad? Each new incarnation of The Doctor keeps the old memories and gets new ones. Why would it make a difference which one had which recollections?"

He sighed deeply, like he was dealing with someone incredibly stupid and he couldn't understand why he was still in the same air space as them. "Because," he drawled, "too many memories in a body that shouldn't have them would cause an identity crisis; none of our minds would be able to process who we actually are, and we'd just burn up eventually."

"Oh," I blinked, "that does make sense."

His eyes rolled over to give me a bored stare. "Does it really?"

I nodded to enforce my moment of clarity. "Yeah, it's like if, say, while you were regenerating, some of your regenerative energy passed through me on accident. Part of you would merge with me and, if nothing was done about it, I'd burn alive in under an hour," I spouted rapidly. _Just like with Donna._

Four didn't seem so convinced. "Sure."

I grinned sheepishly and suggested, "Exactly like that but really not at all?"

He beamed at me them, "Exactly." With a flourish, he presented the door. "Here we are. Now, a little bit of advice: If you actually want to get to know your Doctor better, you should try memories a bit closer to that regeneration," he ordered again instead of recommending like he was trying to.

"Okay, I'll try that next," I said, nodding and starting to slip out the door. "Oh, and Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks." I smiled and nearly closed the door that time.

Four genuinely smiled back that time and simply said, "You're welcome. Oh and dear?"

Mentally, I rolled my eyes, but there was no real annoyance. _I'm not ever going to be able to leave_. I poked my back inside Door Number Four.

"Hm?"

Four flashed me a mischievous smirk that was very nearly a grin. "Go for the ears," he purred, winking before pushing the door closed.

I glared at the door in frustration. Go for the ears? What the hell did that mean? Would I be battling someone whose weakness was their ears? And if so, how would he know? Goddammit, I come in here looking for answers and all I get are more questions!

_Oh well, there's no point in thinking about it now. I'll dissect that thought later, when The Doctor isn't poking around my consciousness. And who's humming?_

Someone was humming, but I was the only person in the room. It then hit me that The Doctor was humming out in the physical world. Could I respond to him? I hadn't tried since he connected our minds, so I tried now.

It was tough, getting my physical mouth to move when I'd gotten used to my psychic body, but I did it and asked The Doctor, "What tune is that? I've heard it before."

"That? _The Girl from Ipanema_."

"Ooooo, I love that song."

"Want to go hear it live one day?"

"I'd love to."

And then the moment was over, and I was back in front of Door Nine. I reached for the handle, expecting it to open on its own like Door Four, but it didn't. Pushing away my confusion, I gripped the brass door knob and twisted. The door didn't open. I couldn't even turn the knob all the way. It was locked.

I crossed my arms over my chest, now irritated, and glanced at Door Eight. _Well, if I can't go through one . . ._ . I wandered over to that past regeneration, stared at its handle, and licked my lips. _I'll try the next best thing._

This door opened readily for me, swinging open with a creak. I stepped inside, prepared to meet the Eight Doctor, but he wasn't there.

I closed the door and leaned against it, observing the new hallway. Where was The Doctor? Shouldn't he be here?

I smacked my forehead. _Moron. He doesn't just stand there and wait for people to walk through the door; Four might but not all The Doctors. He's probably observing a memory or something. Besides, it's basically designed the same way as the last one. I can find my way._

I didn't even have that far to travel. The Eighth Doctor's room was one long hallway that split off to certain sections of his memories. One went to the movie and others led to the books he'd starred in; I had no recollection of others.

The doorways to memories stopped with a dead end. To be exact, steel door equipped with deadbolts and heavy locks; it was impossible for me to get through.

I wasn't even sure I wanted to get through. The only thing The Doctor would have under that much lock and key would be The Time War and I didn't want to see that. I shouldn't see that. The Time War was when The Doctor was at his worst, even worse than in his darkest moments of The Oncoming Storm. That time in The Doctor's life wasn't something he wanted or needed me to see right now. Our friendship was too young, too raw to share that deep of a wound when it was still bleeding. I couldn't understand now, maybe not ever, and watching Gallifrey and its people burn wouldn't make a damn bit of difference.

And just like that, I turned on my heel and walked away. The Doctor was a private man, and I respected that. The Doctor hadn't gone knocking on any of my locked doors, as far as I could tell, so I wasn't about to go poking about where I shouldn't.

_Maybe I could go talk with Six and finally ask him why in the seven rings of hell did he wear_— I stopped mid-stroll when Eight came into view. No, I don't mean I turned a corner and there he was. The corridor is straight, no turns or corners to hide behind. I mean one second he wasn't there and the next he was.

Creeped me the fuck out, though I kept my face as neutral as possible.

Giving him a nervous him, I hesitantly greeted him, "H-hello, Doctor . . . wasn't sure you were here or . . . ." I couldn't finish my sentence under the weight of his stare.

The Doctor said nothing.

I gulped.

Something was wrong. Eight looked like he'd been to Hell and had clawed his way back out. Every time he shifted, I could see how limp his body was; like he was barely keeping himself from toppling over. But no matter how hard I tried not to, I kept coming back to his eyes; those dead, glazed over eyes. I could see the promise of tears that he couldn't seem to bring himself to shed. Despair rushed at me from every side, closing in on me, suffocating me. Terror and righteous fury raged together through my veins, each battling for my attention over the grief, but only succeeded in merging everything into a wave of emotions I couldn't comprehend. What was happening to me? Why did I feel this way?

My eyes rattled in their sockets; panic causing them to move in every direction for the enemy.

_Where are they? I know they're there! They only left to regroup, but they'll be back! They always come back!_

I ran my hands through my sweat slicked hair, only to find them sticky. Tremors shook my arms as I pulled my hands back to see what coated them. I started hyperventilating when I saw what it was.

Blood. Dark red, sticky, warm _blood_. And it wasn't just my hands. My arms, body, face, legs, shoes . . . There wasn't one spot where I wasn't drenched in blood. Bile rose in the back of my throat as I gagged on the scent of smoke and bitter copper assaulting my nose.

Smoke. Fire. I could feel the fire attempting to grab at me and singe my flesh from my bones and suffer the smoke as it stung my eyes. A bomb whizzed overhead, landing somewhere not too far off and killing more of my kin. My pulse pounded in my ears; my heart desperately trying to keep up with my rising desperation.

_Heart . . . what happened to my other one? Why isn't it beating?! Did a dalek shoot me? Am I dying? Regenerate! I need to regenerate! Why can't I regenerate?! Is it too late? No! It can't be! I'm still breathing, still functioning perfectly; why am I not in pain?_

The hyperventilating was getting worse. My one functioning heart was going to explode if I kept this up.

A small voice, deep inside my mind, whispered, **This isn't real**.

_What? No. No! It's real! I'm in The Time War, fighting at Gallifrey and watching the other Time Lords die as the daleks slaughter us! This is real!_

I know that voice. Where do I know that voice from? It was a man, a very irritated man, but who was he?

**Stupid!** The voice hissed. **You know this isn't real and you know it! How can you function perfectly fine with only one heart? Answer that!**

_I-I don't know!_

It barked back, **Yes, you do! The Eighth Doctor is projecting his recollection of The Time War onto you!**

_The Eighth Doctor, but . . . That's me. I'm The Doctor. My name's . . . The . . . Doctor? No . . . No, that isn't right. What's my name? D . . . D, it starts with a D, I know it does! D, D, D-A? Yes, that's it, D-A . . . L? No, something . . . something comes before that. D-A . . . H? Yes! Dah-l . . . what comes after that? What? What?_

**DAHLIA!** Koschei shouted.

_Yes, yes, Koschei. Koschei is trying to help. He's trying to get me out of the war. The Doctor put me here. I need to get out. I need to get out._

"Doctor!" I whimpered while staring at my blood covered hands. _Not good enough._ "Doctor!" I screamed this time.

The war around me paused for a split second. I'd grabbed his attention but he wasn't letting up.

"Doctor, please!" I shrieked, "Please! Please, you have to stop this! I don't want to see this! Doctor!" Tears streamed down my cheeks, creating streaks in the drying blood. "Doctor, please! Please, stop!" I couldn't speak anymore; my sobs kept choking off my pleas. My knees gave out, and I crashed to the ground, screwing my eyes shut and blocking my ears to ease my suffering.

I gave one final beg for mercy: "Doctor, please, this-_this_ _isn't_ _who_ _you_ _are_ . . . ."

Curled up in a ball, I silently begged for the torture to stop.

**You can open your eyes now, child**, Koschei murmured soothingly in my ear.

Slowly, I uncurled myself and opened one eye a sliver. I was back in the hallway behind Door Eight. Opening my eyes fully, I scanned the room for The Doctor. He hadn't moved.

I frantically scrambled to my feet. I needed to get away. Eight was unstable. At any moment he could fling me back into The Time War and I-I couldn't take that. So I ran. I ran, but I barely got a few feet. Eight had managed to get a good grip on my wrist, keeping me from fleeing like my instincts told me to do.

"D-Doctor," I stuttered frantically, "I need t-to leave now. Please, D-Doctor, l-let me go." I felt pathetic and guilty. The Doctor was my friend, yet I was so frightened of him, though I doubted anyone would blame me for it.

He shook his head and raggedly groaned, "Need to see."

I gulped. "N-need to see what?"

He pointed behind him, at the end of the hall where the deadlocked door stood.

My breath became shallow and quickened. _No. No-no-no-no. No! I can't see that again. I can still smell the blood . . . ._

I was so caught up in my panicking I hadn't notice Eighth drop my wrist until it thumped against my hip. I attempted to focus my sight on him and not bleed back into The Doctor's memory.

"Need to see," The Doctor said despondently and held out his hand.

I stared at the offering. Seriously? He expected me to trust him after the torment he put me through? Did he really think I would follow him into Hell willingly?

The Doctor didn't retract his hand.

Me tense muscles uncoiled, leaving me to collapse in on myself. _Then he really can see inside me head._ It was a miserable thought, but a true one.

The Doctor needed someone to rely on; someone who could pull him out of his darkness; someone who would follow him into Hell on Earth without so much as a second thought.

I mean, all of his other companions have done it, so why can't I?

**Because none of them were told they needed to witness The Time War.** Oh great, Koschei was back, and he had an opinion.

So, could I do it? Could I follow a Doctor who wasn't mine into an inferno I'd had nightmares about for months? Could I take on The Doctor's burdens and scars as my own? Or would I turn away and run like a coward?

I stared hard at Eight's unwavering hand and took a deep breath.

I placed my hand in his.

The Doctor curled his warm fingers around my frozen ones. He led me to the steel door. Lifting his free hand, he tapped the metal twice, once, and then twice again.

I started shaking as the bolts screeched open, but then realized it was me. I had begun making a high pitched whining noise. I clenched The Doctor's hand tighter.

He moved to open the door.

"Wait," I choked out.

He stopped, and he waited.

"Doctor," I was starting to cry again and my voice trembled, "Doctor, please, _please_ don't let go of my hand."

Eight didn't say anything- didn't move- for the longest time, and then he nodded and laced his fingers with mine, tightening his grip on my smaller hand until it was painful.

I sobbed. "O-okay."

The Doctor gently pushed the door open.

We were greeted by flames and smoke and screams and cries of "Exterminate!" and the wretched smell of rust filled the air, but I didn't turn away. I didn't close my eyes. I didn't beg The Doctor to close the door and block it all out.

I cried. I cried and watched as Gallifrey burned.

In the original room, I sat Indian style on the floor. I wasn't thinking about what I'd just seen. I wasn't thinking of anything other than how dead I felt inside.

I don't know how long I sat there, but after a while, The Doctor started pulling out of my mind and severing the mental connection. The wallpaper peeled away first; then the flooring seemed to be swallowed by ink; the doors were the only objects left in the nothingness until each of them started to fade, as well. They went in order, from One to Nine. In no time at all The Doctor's mindscape was gone, and I was surrounded by darkness. Then fell away, too.

I felt like I was falling and shut my eyes, focusing on not getting sick, and kept them shut, even after I'd settled back into my physical body.

"Dahlia?" The Doctor asked. His concern was obvious though I couldn't see his face.

"Ugh, you should've warned me about the possible motion sickness, Doc," I groaned, screwing my eyes shut even tighter. I had to get myself under control and act normally. The Doctor didn't know I'd been in side his head or what I'd seen. I couldn't tell him. He was guilty enough; I wasn't going to add to that.

I could practically feel his sheepish grin. "Ah. Sorry 'bout that."

Opening my eyes, I wrinkled my nose and smiled. "It's fine—" I would've said more, but _he was right there._ The Doctor was maybe five inches from my face, all sparkling blue eyes and face splitting grin. My breath hitched, and I stopped breathing.

If possible, his grin got wider as he asked, "You all right?"

I couldn't speak, so I nodded instead.

He moved closer. "Ya sure?"

_Oh god, Doctor, please stop torturing me like this._ My face was burning, and my stomach was twisted into knots of anticipation. The skin where his hands still cupped my face tingled, and _Oh shit!_

Was he still reading my mind?! Please tell me he wasn't! Oh god, the humiliation if he was—I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye ever again.

I tested it. _Doctor? Doctor, are you still reading my mind?_ Nothing. Just my own thoughts. Good, now I can panic in peace, which is great because he's even closer now!

"Dahlia," The Doctor hummed, grabbing my attention.

My eyes focused on him again. "Y-yeah?" Fuck, stop stuttering! He'll know something's up!

He chuckled. "Pay attention." And then he kissed me.

_The Doctor_ was kissing me. The Doctor was _kissing_ me. The Doctor was kissing _me_. _The mother fucking Doctor was fucking kissing me!_

No matter how many times or ways I thought that, it didn't compute with my overworked brain. I felt his dry, slightly chapped lips gently mold and press against mine. I felt him tilt my jaw to get better access. I felt air fan over my cheeks when he exhaled through his nose. I felt his teeth lightly scrape my bottom lip. I knew it was happening, but I didn't believe it. And by the time I got up the courage to kiss back, The Doctor was pulling away.

We observed each other: I was obviously worked up with half lidded eyes, flushed cheeks, smeared lip gloss, and rapid breathing, while he didn't seem bothered at all. His grin was in place and nothing was different other than his darkened eyes that seemed to bore through me.

How could he be so calm when he'd just given me the most mind blowing kiss I'd ever had in my entire life?

_O-okay, think, Dahlia, think. Why'd he kiss you? There has definitely got to be a reason. The Doctor would not kiss me without a very good reason._ Nothing came to mind; though, I wasn't exactly in the best condition to be working out the complex inner workings of a Time Lord's reasoning. You know, with all the emotions Eight hammered into me, and I was still floundering from that _kiss_.

I want to ask The Doctor _why_ he just kissed me but all that came out was "Uuuhh . . . wha . . . .?"

He beamed like a child on Christmas. "Just cashin' in me bribe."

Bribe? He lost me there.

The Doctor must've noticed my confusion because he continued, "Back on Station One you bribed me with a kiss if I moved faster. Just collectin'; didn't mean to startle ya."

Oh. Now I remember. Yeah. Okay. That was good, really. I didn't understand why I'd gotten my hopes up; it's not like The Doctor would actually fall for me. I mean, how Mary Sue would that be? A girl is kidnapped by The Master and taken to the world of _Doctor Who_ to fill the void where Rose was supposed to be, and The Doctor falls for her just like he did with Rose. Something like that would only happen to a Mary Sue, and I was not a Mary Sue. Fuck, now I'm paranoid I'm gonna turn into a Mary Sue.

But despite all that, I couldn't stop the disappointment I felt.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot for a moment," I mumbled. God, I was so embarrassed.

The Doctor almost responded. A knock interrupted him, and I was glad for it. The air around us was getting tense and awkward. I needed a bit of alone time to clear my head.

"That'll be the pizza. Be right back," he said, standing.

"Hold on, I've got money in here . . . ." I sighed, reaching for my bag.

He scoffed, "Do ya really think I haven't got a few quid around here?"

I gave him an annoyed look. "You're The Doctor. You've never had to worry about money."

Pouting, he retorted, "Doesn't mean I don't have any. Now, sit there. I'll be right back."

As soon as he left, I unwound and lounged back on the table, closing my eyes. God, I was exhausted. Everything hurt, but my legs were the worst. My stomach continued to clench with hunger, but I'd feed it in a moment, so I ignored it. Though, right now I didn't care about eating. All I wanted to do was sleep. Once the Doctor showed me where my room was, I was just going to flop down on the bed and sleep; never mind a shower, even if I desperately needed one with all the dried sweat I was covered in. I lifted my shirt collar to my nose and sniffed. I reeled back. Ugh! That was rank! How had The Doctor managed to stay so close to me?

I licked my lips out of habit, expecting to taste the watermelon of my lip gloss, but all I got was a cinnamon and honey taste that could have only come from The Doctor. It was a nice taste.

After that I kind of dozed off, fluctuating between sleep and waking until The Doctor returned and woke me.

We ate in relative silence until The Doctor asked, "What I don't understand is how you have a bag that's dimensionally transcendental."

Smiling tiredly, I told him.

* * *

At my plea for a shower and rest, The Doctor agreed to hold off on adventures until I was at peak performance and once again led me through the TARDIS' many corridors. We halted in front of a large black door with shimmery teal flowers I couldn't name at the moment painted on it.

Giving The Doctor another smile and an exhausted "Thank you", I opened the door and headed inside.

It was dark in the room, but I didn't bother to turn on the light and inspect the room. I'd do that later.

I shuffled along, searching for the bed, and yawned. I couldn't remember the last time I was this tired.

Finally, my legs hit a soft, cushiony surface that could only be a bed. I briefly thought the TARDIS had just moved it for my convenience and noted to thank her later.

Shrugging off my bag, I climbed into the bed and cocooned myself in the blankets, falling asleep faster than I ever had before.

* * *

**I do so love to torment my OC. So, did you love it? Hate it? Either way, I'd love to know! Tell me what you think and how I'm doing with a review.**

**Oh, and thank you to everyone who's still reviewing. You guys all encourage me to still write this thing.**

**P.S. Those of you who guessed who Mystery Man is: You're right. Might as well tell you, since I didn't really try to keep it a secret XD**


	8. Ghosts of Christmas Present

**I finally finished this chapter! I didn't actually think I was going to do it. Honestly this chapter would've been finished earlier but I was stopped by scholarship applications, school, procrastination, and just lazy "I don't wanna" moments.**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter and, before I forget, I haven't done this in a while. Doctor Who and its characters, plots, and dialogue do not belong to me. The only things I own are Dahlia and the small changes I make to the plot to create this story.**

**If you want to see the dress and hair style Dahlia wears in this chapter go to: post/3264182290/lasserre-c-1883**

** . **

* * *

I stormed into the wardrobe of the TARDIS, ignoring The Doctor's pleas for me to stop and talk about what had just happened.

There was nothing to talk about. I'd failed, that was that.

Furious, I roughly ripped at the buttons of the dress I was wearing. As I tugged and pulled, I heard several tell-tale pops of stitches snapping. If I wasn't so angry, I might've given a damn since I did like the dress and The Doctor did, too, but right now I didn't care. Finally, the fabric artwork of silk, cloth, and embroidery slid off my body and to the floor. I kicked it away uncaringly and searched for regular clothes.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, moron!_ I screeched in my mind. _Why did I think I could make a difference on this adventure? I should've known better! Why did Gwyneth have to be so stubborn? I didn't want her to die! And why didn't The Doctor listen to me? If people would just listen to me for once in their damn lives!_

The day had started out so promisingly, too.

* * *

The TARDIS tumbled to and fro with The Doctor's maniacal driving. The Doctor and I clutched at the console, trying our hardest not to be tossed around like ragdolls and barely succeeding. I was holding down a button on The Doctor's orders while he frantically tried to calm the ship's flight by flipping every switch and smashing every button.

"Hold that one down!" he ordered, pointing to a random lever.

Doing as I was told, I scoffed, "Why don't you just read the damn manual?"

He glared at me. "I don't need it."

"Wrong answer! The reason you don't read it is because you threw it into a supernova!" I barked. "I still don't understand why you did that."

"I disagreed with it!"

"How could you disagree with it? It's a friggin' _manual_!"

"Oi! No complainin'! I promised you a time machine, and that's what you're gettin'!" he reached around the console to press a rainbow of multiple buttons. "You've seen the future, now let's have a look at the past." The Doctor glanced up at a screen and wildly said, "1860! How does 1860 sound?"

"What's so special about 1860?"

He grinned. "Don't know. Let's find out! Hold on- here we go!"

A sudden, rough turn sent both of us toppling to the floor. The Doctor grinned widely while I stuck my tongue out at him. We stood up and brushed our clothes off.

"That was a rough landing," I noted.

"You all right?" The Doctor asked.

I nodded, rolling my neck. "Yeah, a bit bruised, but nothing serious. Did we make it?"

Grabbing the screen to look at it, he exclaimed, "I did it! Give the man a medal! Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860."

_Naples, sure_, I thought smugly.

"Christmas- it's Christmas," I said slowly, part of me not believing it.

The Doctor gestured grandly at the doors. "All yours."

I shook my head and smiled. "No, but I mean. It's Christmas Eve 1860 only once. Then it's just gone on the 25th. No one can ever go back and relive it. Except for you; you can go wherever and whenever you want with just a flick of a switch."

He smirked and leaned against the console. "Not a bad life."

I smirked back. "Better with two." Then I spun on my heel, trudging towards the stairs that led to the deeper parts of the TARDIS.

"Where do ya think you're goin'?" The Doctor gaped.

I looked back over my shoulder. "Dude," I said, "that's 1860. If I got out there looking like this, they'll probably accuse me of being a witch or something, and that is drama I do not need. So, I'm gonna go change into something more appropriate."

"Fair point. There's a wardrobe down there, first left, second right, third on the left, go straight-" He cut himself off when he saw I was retreating up the steps, ignoring him. "Oi! You listenin' to me?"

"No, I'm not. Really, Doctor, you should stop babbling to yourself. Someone might call you crazy," I called back, and then added, "And change your outfit! Not just your jumper! For once you can wear clothing from the correct period!"

I didn't need to go through all those twists and turns The Doctor had been trying to direct me with. The TARDIS moved a room I had trouble finding if I asked nicely enough, and she did so with the wardrobe.

The TARDIS, in all her glory, had a wardrobe that seemed to go on forever. Miles and miles of clothes from every planet and time period packed floor upon floor of clothing racks. Fortunately, I wouldn't have to go gallivanting around searching for 19th century Earth. A rack of dresses appropriate for 1860 slid out from one side of the room for my inspection.

_Too pink, too pastel, too flowery, too leafy, too . . . _ugh. I made a face and hastily tossed a puke green monstrosity held together by feathers and lace aside. Ew, it smelt like moldy cheese. _Oh, that's not too bad, but it's yellow and I look awful yellow. Wait . . . this one. This one is perfect._

The one I picked out seemed to be made of silk or something close to it and had lots of ruffles. And not those huge ruffles that made you look like you'd just gone through a paper shredder. No, these were tightly wound, classy even. The fact that the dress was a deep purple, my favorite color, sealed the deal, though.

Once I managed to get into it, I loved it even more. The neckline, the color, the slim fit- everything flattered what I wanted it to flatter. I decided against bundling it all up on the back; I liked the train better. Without even contemplating heels, I slipped on a pair of plain black converse and made for the door.

The TARDIS would have none of that, it seemed, because a machine rose out of the floor, blocking my path. Personally, I didn't want to get anywhere near it. The thing looked like a Frankenstein-ed version of a beauty parlor hair dryer, plushy seat and everything.

"Um, you want me to get in that," I said dryly, pointing at the contraption.

The TARDIS hummed in response.

Nervously glancing around the room, I gave in, "Fine, I'll trust you on this, but if it fries my brain, you're gonna be the one to tell The Doctor."

She buzzed back happily.

Hesitantly, I took my hair down from its ponytail and slowly lowered myself into the chair and waited. The part that would normally be the dryer lowered, fully encasing my head; it whirred to life and started whatever process the TARDIS programmed it for. What did I do? I sat there and let the TARDIS do anything she liked.

The machine puffed out a huge jet of steam as it finished, retreating back into the floor as soon as I got up. My hair was warm from the process, and I moved over to the full length mirror and was shocked at what I saw.

The machine had somehow managed to turn my ragtag corkscrew curls into tight, fluffy, dramatic curls; some were piled on and around head, held in place by a string of white beads, while the rest fell airily against my neck and shoulders.

_Wow_. I came back to down to Earth when I realized how long I'd spent getting dressed. _God, The Doctor's probably annoyed right now, and I'm going to have to listen to him moan about women and their poor time management._

Quickly snatching a set of pearl earrings and necklace, I rushed down the halls, trying to clip the jewelry in place and not ruin my hair in the process. I stopped right outside the console room and smoothed everything back into its rightful place and took a deep breath. Really, I didn't see why I was nervous. I knew what he was going to say. Of course, hearing it on TV and it being directed at you are two very different things.

My footsteps gave me away. I knew because The Doctor started talking to me before he even saw me. "About bloody time! What took ya so long? Didn't think ya were the type to—" He finally caught sight of me and faltered, "_Blimey_ . . . ."

"Think it looks all right? I decided to go with the long sleeves since, you know, it's winter and all," I rambled, more to myself than to him. I spun slowly, holding the dress up a bit more than normal to compensate for the train.

I caught The Doctor's eye and watched him gulp. Then he noticed my stare and coughed awkwardly, turning his attention back to the console.

"You look beautiful . . . Considerin'," he said, fiddling several multicolor wires.

Mentally sighing and rolling my eyes, I cocked out a hip and placed a hand on said hip. "Considering what?" I huffed. _Here it comes . . . ._

"That you're human."

I smiled wryly and brushed it off. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now, didn't I tell you to change?"

The Doctor smirked and fingered his shirt. "I changed my jumper."

I scoffed, "That doesn't count."

He shrugged off my annoyance, gripped my wrist, and tugged me toward the door.

Shrugging out of his hold, I shifted in front of him. "Nuh-uh, my turn. You've had plenty of time to relish the moment; I go first."

I pulled the TARDIS doors open and stepped outside. I was immediately thankful I'd worn a long sleeved dress; the cold wind chilled me even through the sleeves and layers. Eyes stinging slightly from the wind, I stared out at the whiteness around me. There was so much snow.

"You look impressed," The Doctor piped up smugly.

I shushed him and walked out into 1860. Snow crunched underfoot, leaving perfect imprints of my converse. I stopped a few feet away from the TARDIS and inhaled deeply. The cool air stung my lungs and airways, clearing my head.

The Doctor sauntered over to me. He held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Smiling, I linked my arm in his and said, "Time to see history."

We strolled along the pathways, taking in the sights. Okay, I took in the sights, whirling my head every which way to examine the people, buildings, carriages, and shops. The Doctor stopped to pay for a newspaper, eager to check the location and time period. I waited a few feet away, watching a group of giggling children chase each other through the crowds.

The Doctor was at my side again, flipping through the newspaper. His enthusiastic expression deflated almost immediately. "I got the flight a bit wrong."

"I know," I hummed, only half listening.

"It's not 1860- it's 1869."

"Don't care."

"And it's not Naples."

"Don't care."

"It's Cardiff."

Sighing irritably, I crossed my arms, muttering, "It doesn't matter! All I care about is that it's Christmas time in the 19th Century!"

This seemed to lift his spirits a bit, but a cream from the theatre across the street put a grin on his face. "Now that's more like it!" he said, grabbing my hand and dashing inside the theatre.

You guys know what happened after that: We ran into Charles Dickens and saw the possessed dead woman. I was the only one to see the Mr. Sneed and Gwyneth snatch the old woman up and run away.

I had a brief inner battle over whether I should let myself get kidnapped, deciding this was one of the times it was necessary for me to play that role- even if I hated playing damsel in distress. Besides, if I didn't, how would The Doctor know where to go? So I got knocked unconscious, stuffed into the back of a carriage with a coffin, and kidnapped. Not my proudest moment.

* * *

I woke up with a pounding in my head. Groaning, I sat up and massaged my temples in an attempt to get rid of the pain. Then I remembered where I was and hastily scooted off the table and to the door. Even though I knew it was locked, I tried the door anyway.

_Shit_, I thought. _Okay, okay, think- maybe you can reason with them, tell them The Doctor won't help if they hurt his companion._ Not the best option, but worth a shot.

I turned around. The grandson was sitting upright in his coffin. Here goes nothing.

"I know who you are! You're the Gelth!"

No reaction. The grandson climbed out of his box, followed by the grandmother.

I tossed a vase at them. Nothing. "The Doctor won't like it if you kill his companion! He won't help you! He'll go all Oncoming Storm on you, and you won't like that!" I babbled, bracing myself on the door and kicking the grandson in the chest. He crumpled to the floor, causing the grandmother to trip. Fuck bargaining. "Dammit, Doctor, where are you?" I screamed, pounding at the door. "Are you waiting for another bribe? 'Cuz if you are, you've got it!" The grandson gripped my wait and tugged me away from the door. I attempted to get away but it did no good. "Hell, I'll even add in a strip tease if that gets you to move any faster. Goddammit, Doctor!"

The door burst open, revealing The Doctor, Charles Dickens, Gwyneth, and Mr. Sneed. For a second they all just stood there, gaping like a buncha morons.

"Calling Brainless: Please attempt rescue at any moment!" I snarled, thrashing in my captor's hold.

That seemed to bring The Doctor back from Space Mountain; he gripped my arm and jerked me out of the room and into the hall.

"I think I'll settle for a kiss," he briefly mumbled in my ear.

Before I could retort, Dickens wheezed out, "It's a prank. Must be. We're under some mesmeric influence."

I gave him a look of Are You Really That Stupid. "Really? That's what you're gonna go with?" I rolled my eyes. "Can a girl get a bit of creativity up in here?"

Dickens' eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. "Hello."

"Hi," I replied quietly, and then looked back at The Doctor. "I leave you alone for a few minutes and you pick up Charles Dickens."

He ignored me, focusing intently on the Gelth. "My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?"

The grandson opened his mouth, allowing a bone chilling wail to escape. "Failing! Open the rift. We are dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us . . . ."A nearly dual-toned voice said. Both corpses tilted their heads back, and vapor spilled out and disappeared. The bodies collapsed.

* * *

I glared at Mr. Sneed, barking, "First, you take a woman in plain sight, and no, it doesn't matter that she was dead. Second, you friggin' kidnapped me! Oh, and let's not forget that you copped a feel. Yeah, I felt that, you bastard!" I shuddered. "Eugh!"

The Doctor stood close to me and glared at Mr. Sneed with enough ferocity to set the man on fire.

Mr. Sneed sneered. "I won't be spoken to like this!"

"Sit your ass back down!" I ordered. "I'm not done yet. And then you put me in a room with the dead people who were coming back to life! So start talking."

"It's not my fault," Sneed sputtered, "It's this house! Always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother, till about three months back. Then the stiffs—" He fumbled when we all glared at him. "Er, the dearly departed started getting restless."

Dickens snorted, crossing his arms, and spat, "Tommyrot!"

"But you witnessed it! Can't keep the beggars down, sir, they walk," Mr. Sneed said frantically. "And it's the queerest thing; they hang onto scraps of their old selves. One old fella- used to be a sexton- almost walked into his own memorial service. Like the old lady, going to your performance, just as she'd planned."

Gwyneth returned with a tray of cups. She set one in front of The Doctor, saying, "Two sugars, sir, just how you like it."

The Doctor's eyes followed her as she made her way to me next.

"Know ya don't like tea, miss, so I got ya some coffee with lots of milk and sugar," she said, smiling, and moved over to Dickens.

Even though I knew why she knew I didn't like tea, it was still weird for someone to know something about me that I hadn't told them; though, I did take a deep gulp of the coffee. Ah, sweet caffeine, what would I do without you?

Dickens scoffed, "Morbid fancy."

The Doctor frowned and tried to convince the man. "Charles, you were there."

"I saw nothing but an illusion," Dickens dismissed.

The Doctor glared and spat, "If you're gonna deny it, don't waste my time, just shut up."

Dickens was taken aback. Apparently, he hadn't been spoken to like that in a very long time, if ever.

"What about the gas?" The Doctor asked Mr. Sneed.

"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that."

"Means it's getting stronger," The Doctor muttered, "The rift's getting' wider, and somethin's sneakin' through."

"You should probably explain what the rift is, Doctor," I cut in, "since only two of us know what you're taking about."

"A weak point in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time," he clarified curtly.

"That's how I got the house so cheap," Sneed exclaimed, "Stories go back generations. Echoes in the dark. Queer songs in the air. And this feeling, like a shadow passing over your soul. Truth be told, it's been good for business, just what people expect from a gloomy trade like mine."

I rolled my eyes at the man's foolish thoughts. Who would really buy a house if it gave you an off feeling? Crazy people, that's who.

Quickly becoming bored, I followed Gwyneth into the kitchen with the intent to assist her with the dishes.

"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping, it's not right," the maid objected, attempting to take the cups I held away from me.

"Don't be silly. You've probably done your fair share of work for Sneed. How much does he pay you?"

"Eight pounds a year, miss."

_Don't act surprised, don't act surprised._ "Oh really?" I said in my best fake surprised voice.

"I know! I'd've been happy with six!" Gwyneth beamed at me.

"You went to school, didn't you?" I asked hesitantly.

"Course I did, what d'you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper."

"Once a week?" _Man, I wish I only had to go to school once a week._

"We had to do sums and everything." Gwyneth giggled and bit her bottom lip. "To be honest, I hated every second."

"God, who doesn't?" I groaned, leaning against a wall.

Gwyneth leaned in closer and motioned for me to do the same. "Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go. I ran away down the Heath, all on my own."

I pouted and grumbled, "Wish I could've done that. We had these teachers who would tell our parents if we weren't at school that day. A lot of kids got in trouble, and I didn't want any part of that." A smirk curled onto my mouth. "But a friend of mine did, Jasmine. She always pestered me to cut with her and go off to look at boys."

Gwyneth immediately retreated back into her shell, glancing away in embarrassment. "Well I don't know much about that, miss."

My smirk turned into a wicked grin as I pressed, "You sure? Nobody at all?"

She gave me a shy look before quietly admitting, "I suppose . . . There is one lad. The butcher's boy; he comes every Tuesday afternoon. Such a nice smile on him." A happy sigh left her.

"I've always preferred a guy's eyes to his smile," I added, a pair of expressive blue eyes floating to the front of my mind.

Gwyneth giggled and gave me a knowing smile. "I bet you do, miss, 'specially with the handsome bloke you're with."

Who . . . .? Oh, she must've been referring to . . . . "Are you referring to The Doctor?" I had to make sure.

She frowned at me. "O' course! Who else?"

I shook my head. "No, no, no, you've got it all wrong. The Doctor and I are just friends. He doesn't like me like that," I hurriedly denied.

The maid's frown deepened, and she stopped her work completely to fully face me. "Why d'ya say that?" she questioned.

Sighing, I raked a hand down my face and started my explanation, "He likes blondes- and they can't just be blonde. The girl has to be perky and happy and flirty and amazed by everything he does. They have to be a damsel in distress so he can show them he's a knight in shining armor." I growled out the last bit, "I'm none of those, and I never will be."

"Sounds like more than just that, miss," Gwyneth prodded softly.

I barely resisted the urge to comb my hands through my hair wildly. I started pacing. "It's just- everybody I know keeps telling me we're supposed to be together! And I know it's not gonna happen!"

"How do ya know that?"

"Because," I inhaled deeply, urging myself to confess to this one person, "I've been in this situation before: someone tells me a guy likes me, I confess that I like him, and he reveals that it's all a big joke. I know The Doctor wouldn't do that, but being rejected by him would be almost as bad. It would probably ruin our friendship; I can't take that chance . . . ."

Gwyneth put her arm around my shoulder and gave me a half hug. "Feels better to let it out, yeah?"

Chuckling sadly, I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself as she moved away. "I guess . . . ."

"Glad I could help, miss," she said. "'Specially since you can't talk to your sister 'bout these things anymore."

"Yeah," I muttered and then paused. "Wait, how do you know about my sister?"

Gwyneth started to panic. "Don't know, must've been The Doctor."

"No, couldn't have been. I didn't tell him much about my family," I contradicted.

"From back in your world," Gwyneth said suddenly.

I froze. Of course she knew about that. How could she not? She knew Rose was from the future in the TV series; why would she know I was from another dimension? Still, no matter how much it made sense, I still couldn't shake the feeling of how creepy it was.

"How do you know that?" I demanded, trying not to frighten her, but I couldn't help it.

"Mr. Sneed says I think too much; I'm all alone down here," she said, motioning around the kitchen. "Bet you've got a dozen servants, haven't you?"

"I won't let you change the subject. Just answer the question."

Gwyneth stepped forward, saying, "And you've come such a long way."

I quickly retreated a few steps. "Uh . . . What makes you say that?"

"I just do. You're from . . . America. I've seen America in drawings, but never like that, all those people rushing about . . . half-naked, for shame. So much noise! Those metal boxes, racing past . . . and those birds in the sky, also metal with people inside! You've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. In person and in moving pictures. The darkness. The big bad wolf . . . a burning world . . . all those children . . . the drums—" Gwyneth stumbled backwards, away from me with obvious fear in her eyes and on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry, miss. I'm sorry."

"It's fine, don't worry." Even as I hurried to comfort the poor girl, I couldn't help but think of all the things she'd described. That wasn't supposed to happen! She was only supposed to talk about the wolf! Not . . . all those things . . . . I didn't know what to think. I needed time to mull this new information over. I could already tell what most of the warnings were: Bad Wolf, Gallifrey, and the drums from Koschei's mind, but I had no clue what Gwyneth meant by children.

"Can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, Mam said I'd got the sight. She told me to hide it."

"But it's getting' stronger. More powerful. Is that right?" The Doctor said from the doorway. I could feel the presence of The Oncoming Storm pulsing off him without even acknowledging him.

* * *

"Doctor, we can't do that!" I whispered urgently to him. This was my chance to save Gwyneth! All I had to do was convince The Doctor—

"Why not? Because it's not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives," he growled at me.

"Open the rift. Let the gelth through. We're dying. Help us . . . Pity the gelth!" A wail pierced the room and soon after the gelth faded from view.

I caught Gwyneth as she slumped over.

Dickens broke the silence that had fallen. "All true. It's all true."

I scoffed mentally, No shit, Sherlock.

Laying Gwyneth down in the chaise, I gave her a once over. She was too pale, but at least she was breathing. Her eyes fluttered open.

"You're okay, all you need to do now is rest," I murmured softly, stroking her hair.

"But my angels, miss! They came, didn't they? They need me—" Gwyneth gasped, lurching up from her laying position.

I tried to push her down as gently as possible.

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance of survival—" The Doctor fired off quickly before I could stop him.

"No! You're not using her for any plot! She just a girl, Doctor," I growled, blocking his path to the maid.

Sneed piped up. "But what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again, what are they?"

"Aliens," The Doctor answered, glaring at me.

"Like foreigners, you mean?"

"Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there," The Doctor said, pointing up at the ceiling.

"Breacon?"

"Close, and they've been trying to get through from . . . Brecon to Cardiff," The Doctor didn't attempt a more in-depth explanation. "But the road is blocked; only one or two can slip through. Even then, they're weak; they can only test-drive the bodies for so long. They have to revert to gas, and hide in the pipes."

Dickens said, "And that's why they need the girl?"

"Well they can just forget about it," I sneered.

The Doctor turned his attention back to me. "But she can help. Living on the rift has made her part of it. Gwyneth can open up the rift, make a bridge, and let them through."

"Doesn't mean she should do it."

"Incredible," Dickens interrupted, "Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world-only able to exist in our realm by inhabiting cadavers."

"It could work. Good system," The Doctor said, smiling.

I crossed my arms and glared. "I've already said no. Not only should it not be done, it's morally wrong." The Doctor started to retort but I snapped, "And don't use that ridiculous notion of me carrying a donor card, you twit!"

A fire flickered behind The Doctor's eyes, and I could see The Oncoming Storm rearing his ugly head. A small quiver of fear shivered in my gut before I shoved it away. I would not bow to his ruling just because he thought he was an all-knowing Time Lord. I knew what would happen should The Doctor's plan actually be taken into effect, and by God, I was going to try my hardest to prevent it.

The Doctor drew his mouth into a thin line and sneered lowly, "Honestly Dahlia, I thought you would be different than the other humans . . . ."

I didn't let my guard down. Instead, I bared my own fangs in the face of The Storm. "I am being different. I'm not backing down until you see reason."

"Stop." The Doctor let more of his anger leak into his tone. Others would have tucked their tails between their legs and ran by now. I did not. He growled out the last bit, "It's different traveling with me. Get used to it or go home."

In the show, Rose backed off, terrified of what The Doctor would do next. She had been terrified of being left behind. If I was Rose, I would've backed off. If I was smart, I would shut up. If I was any other person in the world, I would've never have spoken up. But I was myself, and Dahlia Tombew does not back down when she sets her mind to something, not even from The Oncoming Storm.

I had been hoping to spare The Doctor this speech, but I knew I had to say it. Oh well, better he knew what he was getting into on the second adventure rather than regretting everything on the seventh.

Uncrossing my arms, I stood ramrod straight and held my head high, glowering back into The Doctor's glare. "Doctor," I started with barely concealed anger, "Let's get this out in the open now since your Time Lord brain can't find the time to infer it on your own: I'm not going to do everything you say. Never. Not even in your wildest dreams. I am different from your other companions. I know you're not always right. I'm not innocent or naïve. I have a spine and am going to use it. So, _Doctor_, either you get used to that _or_ _you can take me home!_" The dam had burst and now my frustration flowed freely. My composure fell away so that I was snarling instead of coolly spitting a rebuttal.

The Doctor and I stood there for several long moments, staring into each other's eyes and meeting false indifference and raging fury. Neither of us would back down.

Dickens spoke, deciding to interrupt out heated staring contest, "This new world. Oh, I was so sure of myself. The great Dickens! Everyday, checking the papers for my name- such vanity. When I'm nothing but an old fool."

The Doctor reined his anger back in and turned away from me. "At least you're learnin'."

"Learning what? That I'm a spent force? That this addle-headed scribbler is no longer use or ornament? I didn't need you to tell me that, Doctor," Dickens lamented.

I might've felt bad for him under different circumstances.

The Doctor shifted back to me, and I prepared myself for his words.

"You heard what they said." His tone was softer, and The Oncoming Storm was calming. He was trying to reason with me like a decent person. Too bad neither of us were decent people. "Time is short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last few gelth could be dying."

I huffed, "Doctor, it's not about the corpses, even if using them is wrong, it's—"

Gwyneth spoke up, having not made a sound, "Don't I get a say, miss?"

I turned back to Gwyneth and winced. How could I make them understand they couldn't let her open the portal? The gelth were evil liars who were taking advantage of The Doctor and Gwyneth. "It is your choice, but you don't understand . . . if you do this . . . ." my voice wavered at the end and trailed off.

Understanding lit up the maid's eyes and her expression softened. She reached up and took one of my hands in both of hers. "It's alright, miss, I understand why. I can see it in your head; all those problems and you feel like you've got to be the one to solve 'em all. This is one event you can't change," she muttered lowly so only I could hear.

My eyes widened at the last part and I shook my head, denying it, "No! I won't let you die!"

Gwyneth smiled pityingly and released my hand. She looked at The Doctor. "Doctor, what do I have to do?" she asked.

"You don't _have_ to do anythin'," he responded.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission, so tell me."

The Doctor pursed his lips as he thought, and then answered, "We need to find the rift. This house is a weak spot, so there must be one spot that's weaker than any other. Mr. Sneed, what's the worst part of this house? The place where the most ghosts have been seen."

Mr. Sneed hesitated before nervously saying, "That would be . . . the morgue."

I listened to the exchange in horror. Was no one listening to me? They couldn't go through with this! Should I tell them what would happen if they did? Maybe then The Doctor would find another way to seal the rift. I reached out and seized the Doctor's sleeve. "Doctor!"

He didn't answer. He just gripped my wrist and tugged me down into the morgue.

* * *

I didn't speak as our little group made its way through the creaking door and down the moldy steps into the morgue. The stench of rotting flesh and mildew clung to the air and every surrounding surface.

I wanted to say something, anything, in protest of what was about to take place, but what could I say? No one was listening to me, and The Doctor had made up his mind.

The Doctor grumbled, "Talk about bleak house."

In my despaired state of mind, I couldn't myself to snap at his pathetic joke.

"Doctor," Dickens cleared his throat, "I think the room is getting colder."

Out of body whispers filled the room, getting louder and louder. The gas light from earlier formed a figure of one of the gelth. It took one look at us and shrieked in near hysterics, "You have come to help! Praise the Doctor! Praise him!"

I sneered at the figure. If only there was a way to physically strangle the fucker . . . .

The figure cried out, "Hurry! Please! So little time. Pity the Gelth!"

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer," The Doctor said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?"

Was he trying to apologize in his own weird way? While sweet, it didn't solve the immediate problem.

Gwyneth, radiating with anticipation, clasped her hand in front of herself and cried out happily, "My angels! I can help them live."

"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asked.

"Here! Beneath the arch!" the gelth answered, hovering over said arch.

"Beneath the arch . . . ." Gwyneth mumbled, moving past The Doctor and me toward it.

I snagged her wrist and pleaded desperately, "Gwyneth, please, don't do this . . . It's not worth it."

She smiled serenely and removed my hand. "It's fine, miss, The Wolf demands my death."

I gaped at her, horrified, and snapped, "The Wolf damn well does not demand your death! I—" I stopped myself before I revealed that I was The Bad Wolf.

She shook her head with that silly smile still perched on her mouth and walked beneath the arch.

"My angels!" Gwyneth called out.

Suddenly, a bright light flooded the room from behind her. I stumbled along in surprise with the others, even more so actually, since The Doctor still had a tight grip on my hand.

The gelth ordered, "Establish the bridge! Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

"Yes! I can see you. I can see you! Come!" Gwyneth beckoned.

"Bridgehead establishing . . . ."

Gwyneth continued her call, "Come to me. Come to this world. Poor lost souls . . . ."

The whispers of the gelth were getting louder. They added to the headache I had forming. I wanted to snap at them to shut up, but I was frozen in place.

"It has begun! The bridge is made. She has given herself to the Gelth!"

Like a child, I cowered behind The Doctor and hid my face in his leather jacket, ashamed to look and see what I had failed to prevent. Hesitantly, I peaked out to see.

Gwyneth's mouth fell open and the gelth in the guise of blue smoke poured out.

A small part in the back of my mind nagged at why they didn't cease, even though I knew why. I watched their few numbers multiply too quick to count. Soon the entire room was filled with swirling phantoms.

"That doesn't seem like a few," Dickens remarked. His tone betrayed how uneasy he suddenly felt. He had good reason, too, because as soon as he said it, the gelth showed their true nature.

Blue burned red in a flash, and their solemn faces morphed into ghastly sneers. Mocking laughter cackled in our ears. "The bridge is open. We descend! The Gelth will come through in force," they shrieked with a mixture of joy and cruelty.

Dickens sputtered, "You said you were few in number!"

The gelth ridiculed, "A few billion! And all of us in need of corpses!"

I managed to get a glimpse of The Doctor's face. He was frozen. I could see horror, shock, and grief jumbled in his expression. A few minutes ago I would've sneered an 'I told you so' but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Whether it was the fear I felt or The Doctor looking like a betrayed child, I only wanted to comfort him.

Mr. Sneed bravely stepped forward to face the gelth. "Now Gwyneth, stop this, there's a good girl. Listen to your master! This has gone far enough, now stop dabbling, child. And leave these things alone, I beg of you!" he called out desperately to Gwyneth, but I knew she couldn't hear. She was already dead.

I rushed out from my place behind The Doctor with jerky movements. "No! Mr. Sneed!" But I was too late; the gelth had invaded several corpses and had him surrounded. One wrapped their hands around his neck and began to strangle him.

I knew it was hopeless to try, but that stupid human part of me screamed at me to try goddammit! I jerked forward again but a tight hold on my wrist stopped me. With panicked eyes, I jolted my head to see who it was.

The Doctor gave me a truly pathetic look (I couldn't name the other emotion that laid there), saying, "Don't go near—"

I heard a sickening crack and, knowing what it had signaled, barely forced myself to turn and face the newest member of the gelth.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us." They gelth used Mr. Sneed to voice their horrors this time. "We need bodies. All of you- dead. The human race- dead, fit only to become our vessels. The Gelth shall march in victory!"

Frantic and out of options, The Doctor begged, "Gwyneth! Stop them! Send them back!"

_Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. You know how this ends. You know how this ends._ I chanted in my mind, clutching The Doctor's hand so tightly my bones began to ache. I heard another person mumbling and, for a second, I thought it was Dickens. Then I realized I was the one reciting "She can't hear you. She can't hear you. She can't hear you" under my breath. I doubted even The Doctor or Dickens could hear such a low volume.

Gwyneth's mouth opened again. The gelth's voice cried, "Three more bodies! Convert them! Make them vessels for the gelth!"

I was suddenly reminded of why I hated this episode so much. The gelth sounded like children using electronic recordings over their voices. That's why I hated them so much. Children creeped me out on a good day, let alone one where they were actually doing something creepy! Like singing a nursery rhyme really slowly, or just staring at random things blankly, or coming from a gas creature that wanted to kill me and inhabit my body to take over the world.

Dickens had finally had enough. He struggled to the exit before the gelth blocked it. Pausing right outside the door, he said, "I-I'm sorry, Doctor! But I can't!"

Disgust burned sourly in my gut.

"I'm too old, your new world is too much for me– I'm sorry—" And with that little stumble he was gone.

The Doctor said nothing; he just gritted his teeth and drug me through the gate behind us and barring it against the gelth. We pressed ourselves against slimy and cold stone wall.

"Give yourself to glory! Sacrifice your lives to the gelth!"The corpses reached for us through the bars.

The Doctor snarled in anger, "I trusted you. I pitied you!"

Mr. Sneed's corpse scoffed, "We don't want your pity. We want this world and all its flesh."

The Doctor's grip moved from my wrist to my hand, where his fingers entangled with mine. My stomach, despite the fear and horror that gripped it, lurched happily at the contact. My skin tingled at the sensation of being so close to the Time Lord.

"Not while I'm alive," The Doctor snarled.

"Then live no more!" the gelth cried encouragingly.

Taking a shaky breath, I managed to spit out, "We're going to die here, aren't we?"

The Doctor looked at me sadly, muttering, "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "Don't—"

"No, I should've listened to you," he interrupted. "And now you're goin' to die here with me. It's my fault. I brought you here in the first place." His head slumped in defeat and resignation at our fate.

I reached up and took his chin in my free hand. Tugging his face upward, I made him return my stare. "Shut up, Doctor. I came with you of my own free will, and unlike your other companions, I knew what I was getting into. I knew my life would be threatened on an almost daily basis and that I'd have to help save the world from monsters and aliens. I knew I'd have to be tougher than all the others because I knew what was coming each time we stepped out of the TARDIS' doors. I knew I'd have to argue with The Oncoming Storm. I knew it but I didn't prepare myself. I should've argued harder and forced you to see it my way, but I didn't. This is just as much my fault as it is yours. Learn to share the blame every once and a while, Theta; you'll be doing a lot of it if we survive this," I growled, finally releasing him.

That was the second time I'd snapped at him today. I was on a roll.

The animal grunts and snarls of the gelth were the only noise for a while before I said. "Doctor . . . ."

"Yes?" he inclined his head just enough to look at me from the corner of his eye.

"Did you really see the fall of Troy?" I don't know why I asked; it was such a silly thing to ask in the face of death.

Surprise and confusion twisted The Doctor's features before he broke into a smile. "Yeah, I did. Why do ya ask?"

A hysterical giggle broke free. I smirked. "Was it really caused because a woman named Helen was kidnapped?"

Instead of answering my question, he simply said, "I'm so glad I met you."

My smirk spread into a smile. "That makes two of us."

Our bonding moment of interrupted by Dickens crashing through the door. "Doctor! The gas! Turn on the gas! All of it, now!" he cried, turning every lamp in the vicinity on high.

While The Doctor questioned the writer's sanity, I was busy flitting about the caged in space, twisting on every lamp I could get my hands on.

"I might be an old fool but I understand basic science, sir! Turn on quickly, turn on the gas! Flood the place!"

The Doctor beamed in understanding and started to assist me. "Brilliant! Gas!"

"Am I correct, Doctor? They're gaseous creatures—" Dickens prodded.

"Fill the air with gas - it draws them out of the host, sucks them into the air, like poison from a wound—" The Doctor cut in.

"I hope— Oh lor—!" Dickens managed to choke out before he was trapped against a wall by the grandmother and her grandson, who had busted in seconds earlier. "I rather hope this theory will be validated soon. If not immediately," Dickens wheezed.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw The Doctor take hold of a pipe and quickly held my sleeve over my mouth and nose. The Doctor ripped the pipe free from the wall. Gas immediately flooded the room.

The corpses trapping Dickens stumbled and emitted a wail. Smog plumed from their mouths as they collapsed.

Dickens cried out in both excitement and relief. "It's working!"

As the gelth were forced from the bodies around the barred door, The Doctor and I rushed out and toward Gwyneth.

"Gwyneth! Send them back! They lied, they're not angels!" The Doctor frantically spit out.

" . . . Liars . . . .?" Gwyneth mumbled through the fog around her mind.

The Doctor continued, "Look at them! If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you strength. Now send them back!"

I inhaled slowly, trying not to give The Doctor any reason to have Dickens drag me outside, but a traitorous cough hacked its way out.

The Doctor immediately snapped his alarmed gaze to me. His eyes held mine for several seconds before he order, "Charles, get her out."

I stiffed. "No. I am not leaving you or her, Doctor."

"They're too strong . . . ." Gwyneth's voice interrupted what I thought would turn into another rant. Silently, I thanked for the interruption, no matter how horrible it was; I didn't have the breath or energy for another argument.

The Doctor's head whipped back to Gwyneth and he urged, "Remember that world you saw? Cassie's world? All those people. None of it will exist, if you don't send them back through the rift!"

"Can't . . . send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in place. Hold them here . . . ." Achingly slow, she reached into the pockets of her apron and pulled out a box of matches. "Get out . . . ."

"No! There has to be another way!" I tried to make it sound forceful but failed. "Doctor, there has to be something you can do."

"I won't leave her while she's still in danger, okay? Now go!" The Doctor reassured, shoving me to Dickens.

Dickens gripped me tightly and forced me to follow him up the stairs and through the house. I tried to fight but, physically, I was too weak, too, even if Dickens was several decades older than me.

We broke through the door and into the snow. The Doctor followed seconds after; he didn't even pause before near tackling me to the ground and covering me with his body. Dickens scrambled to do the same.

The house exploded. Flames licked at every available surface. I cringed from the heat; I could still feel it even with The Doctor's body on top of mine. Gas that wasn't being burned oozed into the atmosphere, contaminating the air. When The Doctor deemed it safe, he maneuvered off of me to stand and then helped me to do so. Dickens, looking more relieved than I had ever seen anyone, gave us a shaky smile but faltered when he saw no sign of Gwyneth.

"She didn't make it. She closed the rift," The Doctor said solemnly, looking at me instead of Dickens. His eyes pleaded with me to understand that there was nothing he could've done.

Dickens' breath hitched. "At such a cost. The poor child."

"Dahlia . . . ." The Doctor started, but I shook my head for him to stop.

"She was dead as soon as she set foot under that arch, Doctor. I know," I whispered hoarsely. My eyes burned with the tears I knew would come. "She shouldn't have had to save us."

"'There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' Even for you, Doctor," Dickens recited.

I wrapped my arms around myself and hunched over. "She saved the world- a servant girl, and no one will ever know."

I forced my depression to the back on my mind when we reached the TARDIS. The Doctor stood awkwardly as he attempted to get Dickens not to follow us into the TARDIS. "If you don't mind, Charlie boy, I've just got to pop into my, um . . . shed. Won't be long."

"So," I sighed, inclining my head towards Dickens, "what're you doing to do now?"

"I shall take the mail-coach back to London, quite literally post-haste; it's the wrong time of year to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family, and try to make amends. After all I've seen tonight, there's nothing more vital."

The Doctor beamed and stated cheerily, "You've cheered up."

"Exceedingly! This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've barely started. And what an appetite I have, Doctor! All these huge, wonderful notions! I am inspired. I must write about them!" Dickens motioned excitedly with his hands, a grin forming on his face.

I raised an eyebrow and smiled with only a slight bit of sarcasm. "Really?"

Dickens didn't notice my mocking. "Oh, I shall be subtle, at first. _The Mystery of Edwin Drood _still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle; perhaps he was not of this earth! _The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals_! I can spread the word and tell the truth!"

"Good luck with it," The Doctor said honestly, shaking the writer's hand. "Nice to meet you, fantastic!"

My sardonic smile shifted into a softer version as I lightly kissed Dickens' cheek.

His face flushed. "Oh my dear! How modern. Thank you. But I don't understand, in what way is this good-bye, where are you going?"

The Doctor placed a hand on my lower back and guided me toward the TARDIS. "Into the shed." He looked back over his shoulder at Dickens. "You'll see."

Dickens almost seemed to pout. "'Pon my soul, it's one riddle after another with you. But Doctor– in amongst all the revelations, there's one mystery you haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Just a friend passing through."

"You seem to know so much of future times," Dickens thought out loud. "And I won't intrude, but I have to wonder . . . My books, Doctor. Do they last?" He seemed slightly fearful of the answer.

The Doctor smirked. "Oh yes."

"For how long?"

"Forever." The Doctor's attention turned back to me. "Right then. Shed. Come on, Dahlia."

"Both of you, inside that box?" Dickens questioned playfully, tilting his head slightly.

"Oi, mind outta the gutter," The Doctor groused without any real venom.

I finally piped up, "Oh, I don't know, Doctor, maybe he should stay there for a while. The gutter's a rather nice place once you get used to it."

The Doctor and I filed inside the TARDIS. The door swung closed after us. Silence permeated the air around us as I leaned against the railing and The Doctor flew the TARDIS into The Vortex.

Suddenly, I was angry. My sadness over Gwyneth's death had turned to fury while The Doctor and Dickens had been exchanging words. I stormed past The Doctor and down the hallway. I didn't know I was running until I was at the wardrobe.

* * *

In my anger clouded mind, I couldn't find my clothing. Either I had forgotten where I had left them or the TARDIS was hiding them from me for some reason. Either way, I sat down in my underwear and leaned against the door.

A loud clanging made me jerk in surprise. I quickly shook off the fear, though my skin still tingled with the aftershock. The Doctor was banging on the door, pleading for me to come out and talk.

"Dahlia! Dahlia! Please, listen to me! It's not your fault! It's mine," he shouted. His voice was muffled by whatever material the door was made out of.

My temper sparked. "We've already discussed this! It's both our faults: Yours for being a stubborn ass and mine for not having the guts to stand up to you when it mattered!" I snarled.

The Doctor stopped his battering of the door. I swore I heard him sigh, but that was probably my imagination.

"Dahlia, I'm sorry," he said honestly.

At his admission, I deflated. Every bit of anger left my person until the only thing left was an aching numbness.

"Yeah," I sigh, "I am, too."

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter over! Again, hope you liked it, and feel free to review and give me your opinion. I always enjoy feedback.**

**So, until I dish out another chapter, see ya!**


	9. Slight Spat

**Here's another update! Yes, I know it's short and I almost put it in the takeaways, but decided against it.**

* * *

"Why won't you just tell me?" The Doctor shouted at me from across the control room.

I whirled around and snarled back, "We've already had this discussion! It's not up for debate, dammit!" I spun back around and stomped away.

But The Doctor wouldn't let the argument drop so easily. He was nearly in Oncoming Storm mode and nothing would stop him until he got his way.

"Oh no you don't!" he growled.

I heard him shove off the console and follow me. Blind with rage, I ignored him and continued down the TARDIS' hallways. I had no idea where I was going. I vaguely recognized a few of the doors but other than the odd splash of color, I was lost. That didn't matter to me, though. The only that mattered was that I lost The Doctor. If he'd just let me cool off for a while, I could control my urge to punch him in his fuckin' face for being so _stupid_.

"Dahlia! Dahlia! Dammit, Dahlia, don't you dare ignore me!" The Doctor's voice echoed toward me; it was closer than I expected and much closer than I wanted.

No matter how much I wanted to scream at him, I refused to respond. He wanted me to argue with him. He wanted me to get angry so that I would say something that would prove him right. Well, I wouldn't let him.

The TARDIS let out a soft sound. A mixture of sadness and annoyance trickled down my spine. The old girl had already "voiced" her displeasure at us fighting many times but we were both ignoring her.

We were both acting like children and we knew it, but that didn't mean we were going to stop.

"Fuck," I cursed. I had managed to trap myself in a dead end and there was no time to back track or even dash into one of the nearby rooms, because as soon as I said that one word, The Doctor was upon me.

Both of his hands crashed onto the metal wall on either side of my head. I could feel his labored breathing, from anger, not exhaustion, on my neck. I spun to face him. I wouldn't be a coward and not face him head on.

Flaming mint green met raging ice blue. The Doctor and I stood there for several tense moments, merely glaring and waiting for the other to back down. When neither of us did, The Doctor hissed out, "Why won't you just agree?"

"Because," I sneered, "It's dangerous and goes against everything we both stand for."

"It could save lives," he growled back.

"_Could_," I snapped. "A few lives aren't worth risking the entire universe, Doctor."

He opened his mouth but then seemed to think better of whatever he was going to say. Then he said, "I'm a Time Lord! I can deal with this! You're a human; you all weren't meant for that kind of responsibility!"

I grimaced. Out of everything he could've said _that_ was what he picked? God, The Doctor must've been losing IQ points faster than I thought.

"We've been over this, too! I have my burdens and you have yours! Stop treating me like a naïve child! I've told you before: I'm not one of your little companions who you can sweep away to show the wonders of the universe to. I know the universe isn't all magic and sparkles. I know people are going to die, possibly because of some mistake I'm going to make in the future and I'll take full responsibility for that. I'm not going to cower behind you while you take care of all my problems," I ranted, panting when I finished. I'd been shouting at the end. My vocal cords stung.

The Doctor looked taken aback by my words. I had even managed to get him to flinch.

He seemed to realize that he had lost this battle, because the fury suddenly drained from his body, causing him to have to support himself on the wall instead of trapping me against it.

"You shouldn't have to do this alone," he whispered, bowing his head until our foreheads nearly touched. His eyes were sad and pleading.

My anger started to leave me, as well. I tried to keep as much in as possible by clenching my fists and gritting my teeth; I even thought of random things that pissed me off to light the fire again, but nothing helped. Not with The Doctor's pitiable stare baring down on me.

I slumped over and looked at the ground. Sighing with a mixture of pity and disappointment, I said, "You're such a hypocrite, Doctor."

Shock made him jolt. The Doctor gaped at me; the hurt in his eyes made me cringe, but I continued in a soft voice.

"You say I shouldn't do this alone, yet you carry a weight no one should ever have to shoulder," I whispered, choking on my words. "It's hypocritical of you to say I can't handle myself when you can hardly stand under your own burden. Even if I asked right now, you wouldn't tell me what's bothering you or share the darkest corners of your mind with me.

"And you don't need to; I understand that you have your secrets. Yes, it's nice that you want to help, but you have to understand, Doctor, that I'm not the emotionally needy type. I can hold myself up and do what needs to be done on my own." I exhaled heavily and squeezed the bridge of my nose with two fingers. "Just because you have more experience with this doesn't mean you have a right to the information. Keeping the universe from imploding is my job, and part of that is keeping you from knowing the future. You should know how dangerous it would be if you knew what was going to happen."

The Doctor hung his head. "I know."

"Besides, if you knew, you'd take precautions and sooner or later, the time line would get so screwed up even I wouldn't be able to tell what would happen next," I added.

"I know," he repeated.

The Doctor raised one of his arms and pressed a fist to his forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

I laid a hand on his shoulder and muttered, "I know."

* * *

**I almost cried when I realized just how short this was T_T but I couldn't figure out a way to extend the argument without just repeating what Dahlia said. The next update will be longer, I promise!**


	10. Always Wanted to Get Arrested

The past few days had been . . . awkward, to say that least. The Doctor and I had managed to not really speak to each other at all in over a week, including when we stopped by on alien planets! The Doctor had a storm cloud of shame over his head, and I just didn't know what to say. So I made a suggestion instead.

"Doctor, take me back to Cardiff," I said from over the console.

His head snapped up. His face made a desperate attempt to stay neutral but his eyes bared his disbelief.

"What?" he muttered, "Sorry? Don't think I heard you right."

"Take me back to Cardiff," I repeated. I winced when hurt joined his disbelief.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped and his head dropped. "Didn't think you'd get tired of adventurin' already." He tried to chuckle but failed. "Well, all right, I'll take ya back, but . . . Dahlia, is this about . . . our argument a few days ago? Because I really am sorry about that! And I'll never under estimate you again, promise!"

I frowned. "It's not about that."

His expression, which had risen up with hope became crestfallen once again. My heart ached with guilt.

"Well . . . I guess the only thing I can say is . . . Thank you, for bein' a fantastic companion and, um, I'm goin' to . . . ." The Doctor was steadily becoming more depressed and frantic as he searched for words.

In horror, I realized we'd both been mistaken. "No! Doctor, no! I'm not leaving!"

He froze and blinked rapidly. "What?"

"I'm still going to be your companion! I just want to go back and visit Ashley, Jackie, and Mickey for a bit!" I cried, clenching my fists against the cool metal of the console.

"Oh," The Doctor mumbled, looking down and flushing.

I, too, flushed red, embarrassed beyond belief.

Neither of us spoke for a long time. Socially awkward penguin would have more to say right now than either of us.

"So, um . . ." The Doctor stuttered. "You want to pop in for a visit?"

I cleared my throat nervously. "Yeah, just for a bit."

He beamed brightly. "Off we go then!"

The Doctor was trying to seem nonchalant, but I could see just how relieved and happy he was to know I wasn't leaving him. A smile broke out on my lips, as well, and soon I was giggling. The Doctor looked up from rotating several dials to flash me a grin and a wink. That only made me laugh harder. The Doctor flipped three switches, and the TARDIS' engines roared; we soared through The Vortex.

I released my grip on the console when we landed. My smile hadn't dropped throughout our flight and stayed put when I asked, "How long have I been gone?"

"To them? Only twelve hours," The Doctor replied. His smugness seeped through.

Smirking, I raised an eyebrow and coyly asked, "Only twelve hours?"

"Yep!" He popped the _p_, "Why? Do ya doubt me?"

"No, no, not at all! It just seems a bit . . . on target for you," I teased, running my tongue over my lower lip.

The Doctor immediately defended himself, "Do ya really think so little of me tha' I can't even fly me own TARDIS?"

"No . . . well, yes. You never did read the instruction manual and you hardly seem to go where or when you aim." I snickered at his pouting. "Come on, Doctor, I was just joking."

He wrinkled his nose. "Ha ha ha."

I gathered up my bag and moved towards the doors. "You could come with me. I'm sure Jackie would _love_ to meet you." Magnificently, I held in my smirk.

The Doctor looked disgusted. "Domestics," he grumbled. The nasty look didn't stay long, though; soon, he was curious. "What're ya gonna tell her and your friend?"

I sighed and scratched behind my ear. "Well, I'm hoping there are only a few things I'll need to explain. That is, if Mickey gave Ashley the letter like I told him to."

The Doctor cocked an eyebrow, inquiring, "And if he didn't?"

"Then there'll be hell to pay," I said airily. "I'll see you in a bit." I slipped out the doors, but popped my head back in. "And don't go anywhere. I swear, if I come back and find out you've gone wandering off, I'll smack you."

He scoffed, "Like I'd even think about it!"

I grinned. "Good."

* * *

It didn't take long for me to get to the Tyler residence, even strolling along as I did. A part of me wondered why I was taking my sweet time- Ashley and Jackie thought I'd been gone for a year and would be worried sick. The other part knew I was giving The Doctor a bit more time to figure out that he'd messed up.

I knocked on the door to Jackie and Ashley's flat, rocking back on my heels and humming as I waited.

The door opened. Ashley stood in the doorway. Her annoyed look quickly shifted to shock. She stood there gaping; eyes wide and mouth flapping like a fish out of water.

Grinning, I threw my arms out wide and said, "I'm back!"

Ashley didn't say anything. Actually, it looked like she was starting to hyperventilate.

My grin slowly turned into a frown. "Ashley, are you all right?" I asked quietly, shuffling forward until I could place a hand on her shoulder.

Like someone had flipped a switch, Ashley launched herself at me, wrapping me in a tight grip, and began sobbing into my shirt.

_Oh God, she's crying. Why is it always me she ends up crying on_? I thought as I tried to calm my inner panic.

"Shh, Sshhh, it's all right. See? I'm fine, you're fine, we're both fine. No need to cry." I was babbling and not being much of a comfort, but really, what did she expect? I didn't expect her to start crying when I knocked on the door!

Heavy footsteps clomped up the stairs. The Doctor rushed to my side. He paused to grin apologetically. "It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months. Sorry."

* * *

I sat on the Tyler's couch with Ashley curled up at my side, still clutching me close to her. She'd stopped crying but refused to let go. Absolutely livid, Jackie paced back and forth while she ranted. The Doctor stood right behind my spot on the couch; every once in a while I felt his knuckles soothingly stroke my shoulder, but the majority of his attention was on the raving Jackie. A policeman was there, too. He was supposed to be taking statements, but mostly he just listened.

"The hours Ashley and I sat here, days and weeks and months just worrying. We thought you were dead. And where were you? Traveling. What the hell does that mean? Traveling? That's no sort of answer," Jackie shouted. She whirled around to face the policeman. "You ask her. She won't tell me! That's all she says. Travelling."

I piped up, "Jackie, I'm telling you the truth. I was traveling with my friend."

The older blonde woman huffed, "When your passport's still at home? Ashley and I checked your flat! It's just one lie after another!"

I frowned. "I don't see why you're so upset. I warned you I might be gone for a while."

Jackie's face turned furious again. "Whaddaya mean you warned us? You didn't warn us 'bout nothin'!"

Furrowing my eyebrows, I scowled and demanded, "You didn't read my note? It would've explained everything."

No one spoke, but the glare Jackie was giving me told me she nor Ashley never received my very important explanation.

"Mickey," I growled lowly. Ways to kill him swiftly piled up in my mind.

The Doctor cleared his throat. He nervously shifted from foot to foot. "Actually, it's my fault. I sort of, er, employed Dahlia as my companion."

The policeman raised an eyebrow and looked at both of us before settling on The Doctor. "When you say 'companion', is this a sexual relationship?" he asked.

I barely stopped myself from blurting out 'I wish!' in time to agree with The Doctor's sputtered "No!"

Jackie zeroed in on poor Nine in full force. I would've helped him, really, I would've, but who wants to get in between Jackie and someone she's pissed off at?

"Then what is it? Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, she vanishes off the face of the earth! How old are you then? 40? 45? What, you find them on the Internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor?" Jackie accused.

"I _am_ a doctor!" The Doctor snapped back.

"Prove it! Stitch this, mate." She reared back and slapped him across his face.

* * *

The Doctor and I slipped off to the roof as quickly as we could. I sat on the edge of a vent with The Doctor leaning against it to my left.

"What're ya going ta tell them now?" he asked quietly.

I sighed heavily. "I don't really know. I wasn't planning on telling Jackie anything; I was going to leave that up to Ashley. I told Mickey to give the letter to her, anyway. Even then, I didn't tell her much, just that I was from another dimension and what I was here to do. I told her that you were an alien and that I'd be traveling with you for an indefinite amount of time, if that's all right," I muttered.

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Sighing again, I stated, "It doesn't feel like I've been gone a year."

"The wonders of time travel."

"And your horrible driving."

"Oi! Don't get smart with me!"

"I knew you'd get it wrong anyway, so what's the point in denying it?"

The Doctor was indignant. "You knew? Then why didn't you tell me, I could've flown us back to the right time!"

Huffing out yet another sigh, I rolled my head over to meet his eyes and answered, "_Because_, this is how it's supposed to be. The first time I come back to visit you land the TARDIS a year later than you were supposed to. This is how it happens."

The Doctor pouted silently for a few seconds before asking, "So, if it's so much trouble, are you gonna stay here now?"

I shook my head. "No, I'll give them a better warning this time. Actually explain a few things before I go bouncing off with you again."

"Good, because she's not comin' with us. Not too sure 'bout that friend of yours, but her mum' stayin' here."

I snickered, crinkling my nose as I laughed. The Doctor joined in but with a fuller laugh than mine.

"She slapped you!" I giggled. "I never thought I'd actually get to see that!"

"I don't do families. Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother," he commented, lightly touching the cheek Jackie had slapped.

"I find that hard to believe," I mocked, smirking and leering at the Time Lord.

He gave me another affronted look before he turned serious. "Dahlia, we really haven't discussed how . . . different I am from humans," he said carefully.

I shrugged. "What's to discuss?" I really didn't see a point in going over things I already knew, but if The Doctor thought it was important enough to bring up, I'd endure for him. "I know you have two hearts, a respiratory bypass, and have telepathic powers. You can regenerate twelve times- you're currently on your ninth. You don't need as much food or sleep as humans do and have a lot more energy and stamina than we do, too. I'm not sure if you have super senses or strength, those weren't really mentioned other than you being able to identify the specifics of certain gases and liquids in tasting them. Oh, and you can absorb certain nuclear energies and expel them into, say, your shoe. Anything I missed?" I rattled off my knowledge of Time Lord Biology as I stared up at a cloud passing overhead.

"Only one: I don't age," he muttered.

"Oh, yeah. I already know you're nine hundred years old, Doctor. I still don't see what the problem is," I replied in a bored tone.

"You don't care?" he asked, shocked.

I groaned in annoyance. "God, you're persistent. No! I don't care. Why should I? I can't change how old you are, so there's no point in . . . Well, would ya look at that," I stared straight at an incoming spaceship before ducking down instinctively to avoid it as it flew out of control.

The Doctor and I snapped around to watch the smoking ship as it crashed into Big Ben (the clock let out an obnoxiously long _clong!_ when it happened) and then splashed into the Thames.

"I was wondering when that thing would show up," I said absentmindedly, leaning over the wall at the edge of the roof and staring at the smoldering remains peaking out of the water.

The Doctor leaned farther out than I did with a grin that threatened to split his face in half. He looked like a kid at Christmas. Gripping my hand, he rushed down the many flights of stairs with me in tow to get a better look down at street level.

* * *

Unfortunately, The Doctor's plan didn't account for all the traffic. Though, he should have known we wouldn't be able to get as close to it as he wanted to.

Cars were crammed as close as they could get to each other. People were out in the streets, trying to do the same thing we were. Soldiers stood at attention, blocking off access to London.

We stopped in the middle of the side walk. I panted heavily as I tried to catch my breath. Even after all this time, I still wasn't used to running around. The Doctor didn't notice my exhaustion; he just kept up his loony grinning. With an ecstatic laugh, he exclaimed, "I can't _believe_ I'm here to see this! This is fantastic!"

"Yes, yes, yes, history in the making. What a joy it is to run through the streets and be glared at by terrifying soldiers as the people of London freak the fuck out over the giant spaceship they just saw crash into Big Ben. Oh yes, Doctor, I can definitely see why you're so happy," I snarked. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my blue _Star Trek_ hoodie.

The Doctor gave me an irritated glance. "I'm not going to let you ruin this."

I smiled sarcastically. "Too late."

"Dahlia, this is what I travel for! To see history happening right in front of us. How can you not be amazed by it?" he said exasperatedly, gesturing to everything happening around us.

A corner of my mouth quirked upwards. "I'll be amazed when we get back to Ashley's flat," I said, spinning on my heel and marching back the way we came.

I could feel his repulsed look. "Why would you want to go back _there_?"

Looking over my shoulder, I said, "Well, they do have a TV. I thought we could, you know, use it to see what's going on _like normal people_."

His astonished expression was all it took for me to burst out laughing.

* * *

"Dahlia?" Ashley whispered, tugging on my sleeve to get my attention. She had been unnaturally quiet since my return, only making quiet whimpers when my shifting put just the slightest bit of space between us. She looked even more pathetic than the day The Doctor had blown up _Henrik's_. I knew she needed to talk with me, but the spaceship crashing had distracted the entire household. Even Jackie had been silent when The Doctor had first turned on the TV; of course, then she had leaped for the telephone to start calling up everyone she knew to gossip.

"Hm?" I hummed, not taking my eyes off the TV.

"What," she swallowed thickly, "what's going on?"

I stiffened. Shit. I hadn't really planned on explaining things to her. That was what the note was for goddammit. I was prepared for the questions she would have when I got back, not explaining _everything_. Because that's what she meant; sure, she cared about the spaceship that had just remodeled Big Ben, but Ashley, not matter how blonde she was, could tell when something bigger was going on right in front of her and she knew I was right at the center of it.

I sighed irritably, pinching the bridge of my nose and rubbing my eyes to fight off an incoming headache.

The News 24 anchorman gave his report: "Big Ben destroyed as a UFO crash lands in Central London. Police reinforcements are drafted in from across the country to control wide-spread panic, looting and civil disturbance. A state of national emergency has been declared. Tom Hitchinson is at the scene. The police urge the public not to panic. There's a help line number on screen right now if you're worried about friends or family. The army is sending divers into the wreck of the spaceship. No one knows what they're going to find."

I opened my mouth to reply, but Jackie burst into the room, shrilling complaining to Marianna, a visiting neighbor, "I've got no choice! Either I make him welcome, or we run the risk of never seeing her again."

I rolled my eyes. _Oh please, like The Doctor would deny me if I asked to come and visit_.

Marianna had been very outspoken (bitchy) about her disapproval of my running off with a strange man. I kindly told her I didn't give a fuck.

"Oi! I'm trying to listen!" The Doctor snapped irritably over his shoulder, glaring at the two gossiping women.

Huffing slightly, I muttered back to Ashley, "When everyone's not so snappy, we'll sneak of and I'll answer as best I can."

I watched her to make sure she understood and finally turned back to the television when Ashley nodded slowly. The screen snapped to a live reporter.

"They've found a body," the elderly reporter stated grimly.

The Doctor straightened slightly, his eyebrows shooting up over his forehead.

"It's unconfirmed but I'm being told a body has been found in the wreckage- a body of non-terrestrial origins. It's being brought ashore." Immediately the camera shifted away from the reporter and focused to the moving objects in the distance. People were rolling a stretcher away; whatever or whoever was on it was covered by a large white sheet.

Jackie entered the room again, this time with a bottle of wine and another cup of tea in hand. The Doctor scowled at the woman who was interrupting his research. I twisted so I was looking over the back of the couch and took a glance around the room. My eyes went wide. Holy shit! When did those people get here? The only person I had heard enter was Marianna. The Doctor seemed to agree with me because his glare of doom was now focused on each and every one of the neighbors. Jackie paid him no mind, ignoring the three of us on the couch in favor of chatting about her love life.

"Oh, guess who asked me out- Billy Crewe!"

The Doctor gritted his teeth in annoyance and shook his head, turning back to the TV.

The anchorman, unaware of the drama at the Tyler residence, loyally continued reporting, "Unconfirmed reports say that the body _is_ of extra-terrestrial origin. An extraordinary event unfolding here, live in Central London. The body is being transferred to a secure UNIT mortuary, whereabouts as yet unknown."

A little boy wandered in and swiped the remote. Suddenly, we were all tortured by the image of a chef making a spaceship cake. The Doctor immediately attempted to snatch the remote back, but the toddler must've been part ninja, because he dodged The Doctor easily. Insulted that he had been outwitted by a child (a human child at that), The Doctor glowered at the boy the started wrestling him for control of the all mighty clicker.

Smirking, I amused myself by watching the exchange, snickering when the child nearly smacked The Doctor in the eye.

The Doctor didn't take too kindly to that. Once the remote was back in his possession, he sent me an evil glare. I merely sniggered again and stuck my tongue out playfully. The Time Lord snorted disdainfully and changed the channel back to the news; the toddler was perched in his lap, looking quite put out at being forced to watch "stupid adult stuff", as were his words.

"We still don't know whether it's alive or dead. Whitehall is denying everything. But the body has been brought here, Albion Hospital, the roads closed off. It's the closest to the river," the reporter described.

The little boy seemed to take that as a cue to stand directly in front of the TV. I don't really like the news either, but seriously? Standing in front of the TV? Even I classify that as a grade-A asshole move. And no, it doesn't matter the kid's, like, three. He might be a young asshole, but he's still an asshole.

Evidently, The Doctor agreed; because his arm immediately snapped up to angrily point off to the side. "Go on!" he snapped crossly. The boy gave him a stubborn look for a second before stomping off.

My smirk was back in full force and I was giggling. I hadn't really noticed how much I was laughing and smiling while with The Doctor until now (granted, I was snickering at his distress and _smirking_ rather than _smiling_, but you get the idea). I nearly hugged the ridiculous man for simply _being himself_ but I stopped myself at the last moment. Instead, I teased him. "Oooo look who's being a grouchy father-figure." I was rewarded with yet another glare. Perhaps I should've been keeping count; it didn't seem natural for one person to glare at a friend that much.

Though, there were times I tended to be a bit of a bitch. I mentally snorted. Ha! _A bit of._ Back in my universe, several friends called me Queen Bitch for my tendency to laugh at the misery of others and use too much sarcasm . . . Maybe I should work on that. Nah!

I tuned back into reality at just the right time to watch a new reporter come on screen to stand right in front of 10 Downing Street.

"Mystery still surrounds their whereabouts of the prime minister. He's not been seen since the emergency began. The opposition is criticizing his lack of leadership. Hold on . . . . "

The camera focused on a black haired, fat man exiting a car. The man glanced at the cameras for a moment before entering 10 Downing Street.

"Oh- that's Joseph Green, MP for Hartley Dale. He's chairman of the parliamentary commission on the monitoring of sugar standards in exported confectionary; with respect, hardly the most important person right now."

I snorted with held in laughter. The Doctor and Ashley gave me odd looks. Giggling, I said, "He must really enjoy his job."

They deadpanned. "Did you just make a fat joke?" The Doctor asked incredulously.

I confirmed his suspicions with a grin.

Ashley sighed heavily. "Not cool, Dahlia, not cool," she muttered.

* * *

After several hours, the neighbors all went home and The Doctor decided he'd had enough of the news. As he tried to sneak out the backdoor, I intercepted him, arms crossed over my chest, hip jutted out, and a reprimanding stare burning holes into his head. He twitched nervously as he held my stare.

"And where do you think you're sneaking off to?" I questioned sternly, narrowing my eyes.

The Doctor flinched and shuffled his feet, taking the opportunity to turn his gaze to the floor. "I was, ah . . . Just, you know . . . poppin' out for a bit o' air," he stammered uncertainly.

_That's right, make him sweat. Thinking he can just run off and leave me here while he goes and has an adventure. Shame on him._

I scarcely fought the smile down, forcing it to come out as an amused smirk. "Oh really? And would this 'poppin' out' lead you to the TARDIS for a little trip?"

His eyes went wide and snapped up to mine. Flushing a pretty dark pink, The Doctor fumbled over his words until he finally mumbled out a quiet "I was gonna tell you".

"Mmhm," I hummed sarcastically, as if I actually believed him. "And I dish out happiness and glitter wherever we go."

His shoulder slumped in defeat. Then he started pouting. Ugh. I hated when he pouted. Made me feel like a sleaze bag for stomping on his cheerfulness. I guess I could let him off the hook.

I smiled. "Well, have fun!"

He frowned in confusion. "You don't want to come?"

I shrugged. "I don't have to go with you; no one did in the show. I'm not needed for this part, anyway. Nothing life threatening happens. Besides, I've got a few . . . domestics I need to take care of here. So you can take your time on your solo trip."

"You aren't mad?" He was both wary and highly suspicious. I could see it in his eyes. He thought I was keeping something from him.

"Nope! Don't really have a reason to; you're _supposed_ to sneak out. Not your fault I know everything," I explained, rocking back on my heels. "Have fun, don't die, don't rip the universe apart, and don't do anything stupid."

Beaming, The Doctor swept me into a hug. I started blushing just as badly as he had earlier. A hug. I love hugs. Why don't I hug him more? I should do that. He wouldn't mind. The Doctor loves hugs. I was a loser. One hug and I turn into a drooling moron. But dear lord was he warm. I hauled myself close to him by wrapping my arms under his leather jacket and around his middle.

I don't know how long we stood like that, but it was long enough for my head to get fuzzy from inhaling his scent like a drug.

"Be good while I'm gone," he said, tweaking my nose and releasing me.

Desperately, I tried to regain my senses so I wouldn't look like a complete moron. I managed to scrape up a "That's my line, idiot" before the TARDIS was disappearing.

I wandered back inside, still slightly intoxicated on The Doctor's scent. I knew I had a stupid smile on my face when I entered the Tyler flat. I probably looked like a lovesick fool.

Someone shuffled into the room. I sobered quickly when I realized it was Ashley. I needed to get this done. Her posture, her expression, and her eyes- they all burned with questions. Now I could give her the answers she deserved. Straightening my spine, I marched toward Ashley's room, grabbing her hand and dragging her along when I passed her. I made sure to lock the door as soon as we were both in the bedroom. While I could handle Ashley on her own, there was no way in hell I would be able to control two distraught and confused Tyler women.

I relocated a chair so I could face the bed and sat down. Ashley stiffly sat on her bed.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, before you start pummeling me with questions, let me try and explain as much as I can," I paused until Ashley nodded in compliance to my request, "First, I am from a different dimension. Second, where I am from, there's a show called Doctor Who. All this alien stuff that's been happening, that's what the show's about- The Doctor saving innocents from bad aliens and whatnot. Third, in all technicalities, you, your family, and associates were characters on the show. Yes, I do know you're real, but this is a _different_ _universe_. Please don't interrupt.

"So, like I was saying, I'm from a universe where all the stuff that happens to The Doctor is a TV show. One day, a lightning storm happened. I went to investigate and got kidnapped. I can't tell you who it was who kidnapped me, so don't ask. My kidnapper brought me here to fix this dimension. Are you following? 'Cuz it doesn't look like you're following. Don't glare at me! I know you don't follow science stuff very well! Back to the point. This dimension was breaking apart because someone who was supposed to be here wasn't. I was brought to take her place and fix everything. Did you get that?"

Ashley gave me a blank look that clearly asked 'Should I call the nice men in white?' I wanted to smack her.

"What don't you get? I explained it in the simplest way possible! How could you not get it?" I groaned, covering my face with my hands.

"Dahlia," Ashley started uncertainly, "There's no such thing as different dimensions. I know you're excited about aliens being real (I'm still not sure if that's true or not) but isn't this going a little far?"

I scowled at her. "Ashley, for once in your life, get your head out of your ass and just trust me for once."

She gaped like a fish, stunned at my barbed tone and frustrated glare. "Oh God," she whispered as it dawned on her. "You- you're serious! You're from another dimension, and all this is a TV show! Oh God!" Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and shush a startled cry from heard by Jackie.

Sighing, I nodded and muttered, "I'm sorry to drop that on you like that. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I wrote a letter- an entire three pages- that would explain a lot of things so you could get used to this while I was gone but . . . ."

"What ha-happened to it?" Ashley whimpered.

Oh. Oh, I-I hadn't actually thought she would be capable of speech right now. When the Nestene Consciousness was here, all she could do was panic and cry. Pride bubbled in my chest. Ashley was getting better at handling the real world; she was growing up. Yes, she still thought and acted like a child, but she was trying and that's what mattered.

"I don't know," I said, frowning. What had happened to it? Mickey wasn't _really_ stupid enough to ignore me when I told him to give the letter to Ashley, was he? "I told Mickey to give it to you—"

Ashley's face contorted in fury. "Next time I see 'im, I'll kill 'im."

I laughed. Of course, I should've known. The only way to cheer her up would be to make her mad.

"So . . . Where have you and The Doctor been all this time?" Ashley asked quietly, both curious and afraid of what my answer would be.

I smiled softly. I'd have to ease her into this, too. "First I need to tell you a few things about The Doctor. He's . . . Well, he's an alien. We'll go ahead and put that out there. And no, he doesn't look like us, we look like him. He's from a different planet that he doesn't like to talk about so don't ask."

"He's an alien?" she asked shrilly.

"A nice one," I added.

Taking a shuddering breath, and then another one, Ashley cleared her throat. "I'll try to accept that."

"He also has a spaceship/time machine called the TARDIS. It stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. He can go anywhere, anytime that he pleases, if he could actually fly it correctly," I continued. "It looks like a blue box but don't let the exterior fool you, it's full of all sorts of surprises.

And then I told her about the adventures. I really wasn't one for story telling, but Ashley was the best kind of audience. She was so expressive and knew exactly when to ask a question and when to be quiet. I told her everything I remembered. Okay, lying. I'm a liar. I purposefully left out my and The Doctor's telepathy session and the kiss. It was for the best, of course. If I told her, she'd never shut up about it.

After I finished, she just sat there, processing all the information I'd given her. Finally, after a long few moments, she said, "Wow."

I giggled. "Yeah."

"Just . . . _wow_."

"You've been off doin' all that, and I've been here, bein' all normal," Ashley laughed. "Really puts things into perspective."

I nodded. "Oh yeah."

The front door opened and slammed shut. Jackie greeted whoever it was and the newcomer gave a short reply. Rushed footsteps made their way to Ashley's bedroom. Mickey burst through the door, out of breath and glaring. At me.

"You!" he snapped, stiffly pointing at me.

"Me?" I prodded innocently.

"Yes, you! What were you thinkin'? Runnin' off like that! Do ya know what they did to me? The police interrogated me! They thought I'd gone an' killed you!" Mickey shouted furiously.

I blinked slowly and stared at him uninterestedly. "Where's the note I gave you right before I left?" I asked leisurely, like it wasn't important.

He scowled. "The note? You're worried about that bloody note when I was accused of bein' a killer?"

"Yes," I said dully. "But if you had just given it to Ashley, none of this would've happened. So I'll ask again: _Where is the note_."

That made him shut up. The indignant look on his face became panicked and I just knew he'd done something stupid.

"I-I-I . . . ." he stuttered rapidly.

I rose from my seat and took a warning step toward him. "Mickey, _what did you do_?" I seethed, narrowing my eyes in irritation.

"I," Mickey cleared his throat, "I-I didn't give it to her." His voice was so quiet I could barely hear him.

"Why not?" I growled.

"Because! That stuff you wrote! She never would've believed it!" Mickey defended, inching back through the door.

"You weren't supposed to read it, you moron!" I shrieked. I started toward him. There would be one less idiot in Cardiff after I was done with him.

Just when I was close enough to nearly get my hands wrapped around his throat, a grinding sound met my ears. _The Doctor, he's back_, I thought. I shoved past Mickey and tore out of the flat. I didn't understand why I was so relieved he was back. I knew he would return. Hell, I'd been the one to give him permission to off alone! But it still felt like I'd been left behind. Abandoned. It was an irrational thought, but still a thought. It was also a thought I shoved to the back on my mind when I finally made it outside. There was the TARDIS; The Doctor hadn't exited yet. He was probably running tests since now he knew the entire crash landing was faked.

I shoved the TARDIS doors open, stepped inside, and . . . Yep, there he was, staring intently at a monitor and frowning.

He looked up at me when he heard the doors open. Grinning, he waved me over excitedly, "Guess what? The whole crash landing's a fake! Knew it was too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben. Come on."

"Oh my God" came a shocked whisper from behind me.

I spun on my heel to see Ashley gaping in the doorway. "Ashley—"

She cut me off, "My mum's here."

Jackie and Mickey entered as soon as she got out the words.

"Oh, that's _just_ what I need!" The Doctor snorted.

I looked back at The Doctor, slightly startled by his outburst. I had been too busy praying Jackie wouldn't make a scene.

He pointed at me, ordering, "Don't you dare let them make this place domestic."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Doctor."

Mickey stomped forward, glowering at The Doctor. "You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you."

Ashley and Jackie shuffled around the console room, gawking in bewilderment and astonishment; Jackie more so than Ashley, surprisingly. Ashley's eyes would occasionally flicker to me.

The Doctor turned to me, wrinkling his nose and frowning. "See what I mean? Domestic!" he cried exasperatedly before turning back to the monitor in a huff. He ignored Mickey as the human approached him.

"I bet you don't even remember my name!" Mickey accused.

The Doctor glanced up for just a second and then returned to the computer. "Ricky."

"It's Mickey."

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name," Mickey spat.

The Doctor snorted. "You _think_ you know your own name? How stupid are you?"

I groaned and face palmed. "Doctor," I groaned, "what did I tell you about being rude?"

Jackie chose that moment to give into her mind's natural freak out time and rushed from the TARDIS.

"Mum!" Ashley called out, running after her.

I expected her to come back, but she didn't. Maybe she was using her mother's freak out as an excuse to go have her own. I wouldn't blame her if she was; she'd been awfully accommodating lately and needed a bit of time on her own.

Shaking my head, I groaned and rubbed my forehead, attempting to soothe the headache I could already feel forming. I shuffled over to The Doctor's right side, peering at the screen that held his attention.

Mickey sidled closer, attempting to get a closer look at the computer. "That was a _real_ spaceship."

"Yep!" The Doctor chirped.

"What? You two think they're invading?" I snorted. I knew they didn't, but it was fun to tease them.

Mickey frowned, muttering his derisive thoughts out loud, "Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert."

The Doctor gave him an appraising look. He obviously hadn't expected Mickey to deduce something like that. I knew it was horrible, but I would normally agree with The Doctor. Mickey wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box; though, he could have his moments.

"Good point!" The Doctor noted. "So what're they up to?"

He knelt and lifted a panel on the floor before laying in his back, screwdriver in his mouth, to jumble and toy with several multicolored wires that dangled above his head. I stood at his side with my hands in my hoodie, looking as if I was waiting to assist him- really I was standing in the best vantage point in which to watch if he made some mistake that would end in the TARDIS shocking him as punishment.

Mickey, however, actually was curious as to what The Doctor was doing, and peered down to inquire, "So, what're you doing down there?"

"Ricky." The Doctor attempted to sound scolding, but the sonic in his mouth muffled his voice, only succeeding in making him sound ridiculous.

Deciding to be helpful, I gingerly removed the sonic from The Doctor's mouth so he could speak properly. It might've not been the best idea; my fingers managed to brush against The Doctor's mouth, sending electricity coursing through my body and causing my heart to pound. I kept my gaze on the floor next to The Doctor's head.

"Thank you," he said quickly, flashing me a quick smile before looking at Mickey. "If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?"

"I suppose not . . . ." Mickey mumbled.

"Well, shut it, then," The Doctor ordered.

"Rude," I admonished him quietly, kicking him lightly in the side.

He pouted briefly but was swiftly distracted by some technical thing under the console.

I held the screwdriver dutifully, handing it to The Doctor whenever he asked for it. Mickey didn't seem to care what the alien was doing anymore and silently wandered around the room, examining every little detail. Every once in a while he'd turn around to give the Time Lord the stink eye.

Finally, The Doctor fixed whatever needed to be fixed. A shower of sparks flashed brightly around his hands briefly before dying away. The Doctor grinned widely, saying, "Got it! Ha!"

The Doctor was rambling before Mickey had walked back to us. "Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of the spaceship, here we go . . . hold on . . . ." He smacked the monitor. "Come on!"

I frowned. "Don't hit her, Doctor! She doesn't like that!"

He scoffed and pointed to the glowing dot now on the screen. "That's the spaceship on its way to Earth . . . See? Except . . . Hold on . . . See, the spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed."

"What does that mean?"

"It means it came from Earth in the first place- it went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived. They've been here for a while. The question is- What have they been doing?" The Doctor glanced at me. He searched my face for any information I might've been giving away. I kept my face blank except for the slightly curious tilt of my head.

The Doctor, even the impatient one, gave up and began flipping through the channels on the monitor.

Mickey had apparently filled his Smart meter because he executed a perfect combo move of stupidity. "How many channels do you get? You get sports channels?"

I wanted to smack him, so I did.

Mickey glared at me. "What the hell was that for?"

My eye twitched irritably. "For being a moron."

Mickey started to retort but The Doctor cut him off. "Hold on. I know that bloke."

An unseen reporter spoke, "It is looking likely that the government is bringing in alien specialists- those people who have devoted their lives to studying outer space." Soldiers that I recognized as being a part of UNIT marched for a stark white corridor and then disappeared into a door on the left.

"UNIT! United Nations Intelligence Task force- good people."

_Maybe if I don't say anything, Mickey will just keep his mouth shut . . . ._

"You've worked with them before. I know you have! Yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet . . . and in the history books, and there's his name. Followed by a list of the dead."

Mickey, stupid, stupid Mickey, why can't you just do as I mentally order you to do?

The Doctor smiled mockingly, almost looking like he was going to give Mickey a pat on the head. "That's nice. Good boy, Ricky."

"Since you know them, why aren't you helpin' them?" Mickey asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

I let out a strangled groan/sigh thing. "Mickey, it's been a long time, a really long time since he last worked with them. He's changed since then, a lot. So much that they wouldn't recognize him and would probably shoot him since government organizations are paranoid like that."

"Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There are aliens out there and fake aliens," The Doctor added, easily maneuvering around the console to tap several buttons. I managed to flip exactly three switches and an eggbeater before The Doctor nudged me out of the way with his hip. "We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover . . . and eh, better keep the TARDIS out of sight." He hopped to the TARDIS doors. "Rickey! You've got a car- you can do some driving."

Mickey gawked at him incredulously. "Where to?!"

"The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship," The Doctor chirped, flinging the doors opens.

Helicopters whirled overhead. A spotlight immediately trained itself on The Doctor and me.

One of the soldiers had a megaphone. "Do not move! Step away from the box!"

Shielding my eyes with a hand, I squinted out at the people surrounding us. Dozens of police cars, all with sirens continuously blaring, surrounded us, along with soldiers who had their guns pointed at us. I wasn't exactly afraid, nervous was more like it, but I did shuffle behind The Doctor when he motioned for me to. I watched Mickey escape out the corner of my eye. I wanted to call him a coward but could I blame him? There were soldiers with weapons ready to shoot us if we tried to escape! Any normal person would be freaking out. This was definitely one of those times when I was glad I wasn't normal. Freaking out would not be helpful in this situation.

Just then both Jackie and Ashley dashed out of Powell Estate. They were screaming for us (Okay, just for me) to be let go and were trying to get to us, but the soldiers restrained them.

Another searchlight shined right into my eyes. I squinted even more and wrinkled my nose in annoyance. Honestly, did they have to be so rude about everything? Where were we going to run, anyway? Not counting the blue box behind us that could go anywhere in space and time, of course.

"Raise your hands above your head! You are under arrest!" The man with the megaphone, whom I still couldn't see, ordered.

As we did as we were told, I couldn't help but giggle. "I'm getting arrested! My friends back in my dimension would love this! None of them ever thought I'd go to jail. Guess who gets the last laugh now?"

The Doctor had a much larger grin on his face than I did, and it was filled with just as much glee, if not more. "Take me to your leader!"

* * *

The Doctor and I were herded into a fancy black car that drove off as soon as the doors clothes. Police cars escorted us through the streets. In the back seat of the car, I stretched out on my back next to The Doctor, using his lap as a pillow. He idly toyed with my hair.

"You do know we're not gettin' arrested, right?" The Doctor asked. He tickled my nose with a lock of my hair.

Swatting his hand away in mock irritation, I hummed, "Mmhm, pity though. Always wondered what it was like to get arrested."

He chuckled. "Weirdo. Why would ya want to know what it's like ta get arrested?"

I scoffed, "Like you can talk! With all your talk of 'Take me to your leader'! Besides, you've been arrested loads 'a times. On different planets!"

"Not on purpose! And I didn't enjoy it!" he objected, giving my hair a moderate tug.

I swatted at his hand again. "I call bullshit on both fronts, Mister Time Lord."

The Doctor didn't answer, but he did wink. I managed to jab him in side right as the car came to a stop. Before he could counter, I righted myself and threw the door open, clambering out of the car- and right in between a mob of camera crews, flashing lights, and too many damn voices all shouting at once. I grimaced. Immediately I slouched and stuffed my hands into my trusty hoodie, trudging into 10 Downing Street, glowering the entire way.

The Doctor, however, took his time, waving and grinning like a loon. When he finally skipped inside, I sent him a face melting glare. He sent me a wink that normally would've made my cheeks turn pink and my stomach to twist pleasantly, but I was too annoyed to be horny. _Wow, never thought that'd happen. Oh, quick! Pay attention to the freaky MI5 lady!_

Too late, whatever she had been trying to tell me faded out into background noise. I observed my surroundings in the meantime. Harriet Jones was sneaking around the room, being exceptionally successful for the most part.

Indra, the secretary, entered the room and called out, "Ladies and Gentlemen, could we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right and can I remind you, ID cards are to be worn at all times." He dangled his own ID for everyone to see.

I had been planning on hanging back and chilling against the wall until the action started but The Doctor laced his fingers with mine and tugged me along despite my quiet protests.

Indra frowned when he handed over an ID to The Doctor. "Here's your ID card. I'm sorry; your companion doesn't have clearance."

The Doctor slipped the card around his neck, plainly stating, "I don't go anywhere without her."

"You're the Code Nine, not her," Indra said calmly. "I'm sorry, Doctor . . . It is the Doctor, isn't it? She'll have to stay outside."

The Doctor once again laced his fingers with mine. "She's staying with me," he repeated firmly.

Indra sighed, but kept his composed demeanor. "Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let her in and that's a fact."

I stepped in before The Doctor could make an even bigger scene. "Doctor, I'll be fine, go on ahead." I tugged him down to my level and whispered in his ear, "Watch out, the Prime Minister's an alien and he's got the ID card's rigged with electricity. He plans to kill all the experts, hopefully you can stop him." Releasing him, I nodded toward the conference room. "Be careful."

"You, too," he murmured and disappeared into the room.

Harriet walked over and took my arm. "It's alright. I'll look after her. Let me be of some use." She looked at me over her shoulder. "Walk with me. Just keep walking . . . ." We walked past a few guards, none of which even twitched when we walked by. "That's right . . . don't look round! Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North." She held up her ID for me to inspect.

We stopped under the stairs. Harriet was keeping her cool, but it was obvious how nervous she was by how paranoid she was being.

"This friend of yours . . . He's an expert, is that right? He knows about aliens?" Harriet asked cautiously.

Ready to comfort her (No matter how awkward I felt), I answered with a question, "Why do you wanna know?"

Harriet broke down in tears. I tried my best to comfort her and while it wasn't a very good effort, Harriet seemed to appreciate it because she gave me a shaky smile before wiping away her tears and leading me to the Cabinet Room. The first thing I saw as the body suit of Oliver.

"They turned the body into a suit! A disguise for the thing inside!" Harriet sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

I started to panic. _God, why do I always end up with the crying people? Why can't The Doctor be in this kind of situation every once in a while?_ "It's all right! I believe you! There's an alien around here and it can use people's skin as a disguise! I believe you, but please, please stop crying . . . ." I trailed off and shuffled over to the cupboard I remembered the other skin suit being hidden in.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. Despite being prepared, I still jumped, skin crawling, when the empty body of a man fell out.

_Oh God_, I thought, swallowing the bile that had risen into my throat, _that's so much more disgusting than it is on TV._

Harriet leaned closer to examine the Prime Minister's body. I moved closer to the door. My hand reached into my left back pocket and discretely drew out my sonic screwdriver. I didn't have my bag today, but I had made sure I had this stowed away. Not that I knew many settings; though, I would need only the newest one I learned for this situation.

Harriet inhaled sharply. "Oh, my God! Is that . . . ?!"

An irritated Indra charged in. Scowling, he barked, "Harriet, for God's sake! This has gone beyond a joke- you cannot just wander . . . ." The sight of the body on the floor cut him off. "Oh my God. That's the Prime Minister!"

I reached forward and jerked him behind me. I could save him. I wouldn't let that bitch Margaret kill him if I could save him.

"Ohhh."

A large woman in a blue suit (Why hadn't I recognized her earlier?) entered.

Nudging Harriet and Indra behind me, I ordered hurriedly, "Stay behind me. Do exactly as I say, when I say it. If you don't, you'll die. Sorry, but you have to trust me."

Both of them, though terrified out of their minds, nodded erratically. All the color had drained from Harriet's face and Indra was sweating more than I believed medically safe. I gritted my teeth and faced Margaret again. Focus, Dahlia! They're depending on you to get them out of this alive! You're not allowed to be frightened. Put on your big girl panties and get to work.

"Has someone been naughty?" Margaret mocked, closing the door behind her with a echoing _click_.

"That's impossible. He left this afternoon. The Prime Minister left Downing Street, he was driven away!" How Indra managed not to stumble over his words, I'll never know.

The woman smiled maliciously. "And who told you that? Hm?" She took a step closer to us.

My grip on the sonic tightened.

Her voice dripped with bitter sweet poison as she spoke: "Me." She reached up and slowly unzipped her forehead. Margaret slithered out of the skin suit, revealing the disgusting Slitheen hiding inside. She took another menacing footstep towards us.

Steadying myself with a deep gulp of air, I raised the sonic and activated it.


	11. Trust

**Hello again! Yes, I'm back with another update! It's Spring Break where I am and I decided to use my time off writing as much as possible while I could before I had to go back to school.**

* * *

A high pitched whirring came from the sonic, but it gradually increased in pitch until it only sounded like a gnat to us humans. Margaret, however, slowly contorted in pain. Soon she was screeching and clutching at her head with her giant, green paws. I snapped into action, grabbing Harriet and Indra's wrists in each on my hands, I rushed for the door, only pausing for long enough to kick it in. The wood crunched and snapped under the force of my kick. The hinges shrieked. I gave it another good smack. The door ripped open, completely snapped off its hinges, and I dashed through, keeping my companions' wrists in my grip so they wouldn't fall behind. The sonic was still in my hand, no doubt leaving indentions on Indra's skin.

_The lights are out. That's probably The Doctor; hopefully he managed to do something about the specialists._

I felt my newfound luggage start to drag. Of course they would start to get tired when we were running for our lives. That was juts my luck. "Come on! You guys have to keep going! I know this sucks ass but—"

Harriet skidded to a halt, nearly making me trip and take Indra with me. Instead, he rammed straight into my back, somehow managing to hit me right in the kidney. I winced, choking off the cry of pain I wanted so badly to release. _God, that's gonna bruise._

"Harriet . . . ." I growled, rounding on her.

She was still terrified, but there was determination and courage in her eyes that wasn't there before. "No, wait! They're still in there! The emergency protocols! We need them!"

I groaned, but followed her when she ran back the way we came. Indra seemed about ready to faint, so I repossessed his wrist and drug him along again. How did The Doctor do this all day?

We were nearly back to the original room when Margaret appeared. Crossing the hall, we dove into a random room. I slammed the door shut, but it never stood a chance against the Slitheen, who merely smashed her way through. I shoved Harriet and Indra through another door and locked it behind me. Knowing it wouldn't last, I joined Harriet at the next door. She was attempting to kick it open, but she didn't seem to have the leg strength. Without meaning to, I rudely pushed her out of my way. Rearing my leg back, I was ready to smash the flimsy wooden structure to pieces when the elevator behind us _ding_-ed.

I didn't turn around, I knew who it was.

"Hello," The Doctor greeted cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes, mentally slapping him for being so gleeful in the face of death.

"Dahlia, what're you doing?" he asked. I could practically see the puzzled look on his face.

"This," I stated, slamming my foot into the door. The lock crunched against the wood and the door swung open, bouncing off the opposite wall from the force.

The Doctor didn't miss a beat. "That was rather dramatic . . . ." He used the sonic on the elevator doors, causing them to close.

I scoffed, "Glad I have your approval, now everybody in!"

Once inside, I didn't pause before hiding behind the heavy curtains, dragging a quivering Indra behind me. That desk/cupboard hybrid was too flimsy to be a good hiding spot. Harriet took her place behind the Chinese silk screen. Not too long after we hid, Margaret's voice floated in hearing range, though muffled by the door.

"Oh, such fun! Little human children . . . ." she cooed sickly sweet. "Where are you? Sweet little humeykins . . . Come to me . . . Let me kiss you better . . . ."

Indra was holding in his sobs. His teeth chewed on his lip so harshly I thought he would bite right through it. Taking his hand in mine, I gave it a squeeze. Indra looked at me, blinking away the tears leaking down his cheeks. I smiled reassuringly and mouthed 'It'll be okay'. He sucked in a quick breath and mouthed back 'How do you know?' Smirking for half a second, I whispered, "Just trust me."

He stared at me with apprehension. Then he nodded once sharply.

". . . Kiss you with my big, green lips," Margaret said in a sing-song voice, ending her call with a loud slurp. She was inside the room now.

We all heard her loud greeting: "My brothers."

A shudder ran down my spine. _Doctor, you better not be late. I swear to whatever God that exists, if you're late, I will haunt you until you can't regenerate._

"Happy hunting?" That was Joseph Green, I think. His voice was the same weird trill as Margaret's. I gagged.

"It's wonderful. The more you prolong it, the more they stink."

"Sweat . . . and fear." And there was the third. General Asquith- was that the body he was using? In reality, I didn't give a damn, but thinking about these random bits of knowledge that would escape my mind kept the fear at bay with irritation. If that made any sense.

"I can smell an old girl . . . stale bird . . . brittle bones." Which one was that? I knew what order they appeared in, but couldn't really tell the difference unless they were in their skins.

"And ripe youngsters, all hormones and adrenaline. Fresh enough to bend before they snap," Margaret giggled nastily.

I held my breath and tightened my grip on Indra's hand. Margaret swept the curtain back on her last word, displaying Indra and me. Indra choked on air and spit. In an odd moment of protectiveness, I stepped in front of Indra, glaring at Margaret like she would burn if I stared at her with enough hatred.

Harriet leaped from where she was hidden, flailing her arms out and screaming, "No! Take me first! Take me!"

Everyone's eyes snapped to her. Even I spared her a fleeting glance before shifting my glare back to the Slitheen. Her distraction was a well timed and well volume one, though, because The Doctor crashed through the door seconds later, wielding a fire extinguisher. Balancing his weapon of choice on a couch arm, he sprayed the enemy aliens with some sort of foam.

"Out! With me!" The Doctor ordered.

Taking hold of the curtains, I used as much force as I could muster one handedly to rip them down. Indra, coming to his senses, released my hand and helped me. Together we tore the curtains from their spot and shoved them over Margaret's head. I reclaimed Indra's hand and pulled him behind The Doctor.

The Doctor frowned at Harriet, who was at his other side. Firing the extinguisher again, he asked rudely, "Who the hell are you?"

Harriet didn't even hesitate. "Harriet Jones- MP for Flydale North." I was only slightly disappointed that she didn't pull out her ID.

He sprayed the closest Slitheen again. "Nice to meet you."

Harriet grinned. "Likewise."

The Doctor sprayed the extinguisher one last time, causing the Slitheen is shriek in agony. I had already shoved Harriet and Indra out of the room. The Doctor's heavy boots thundered after us. I had no idea where we were going. This place reminded me of the TARDIS. Unless you knew it like the back of your hand or had someone to help you, you were as good as lost.

"We need to get to the cabinet rooms!" The Doctor shouted.

Harriet quickly answered, "The Emergency Protocols are in there! They give instructions on aliens!" _ How the hell is she running in heels?_ I wondered. If I tried that, I'd end up flat on my face with my ass sticking in the air.

The Doctor sped up to lead the group. "Harriet Jones- I like you."

"I like you too." Harriet sounded as if we were all having a pleasant conversation at lunch, not running for our lives from aliens bent on killing us.

Indra made a strangled sound in the back on his throat. I guess he realized how ridiculous those two sounded.

The Doctor looked over his shoulder. "Oh . . . thought you fainted. Who're you?"

"I-I-Indra, sir," Indra stuttered loudly.

"Are you scared, Indra?"

"Yes-yes sir."

"Good, because you should be!" The Doctor replied cheerily.

Just for that, I was smacking him.

The Doctor stopped in front of a seemingly random door. Using his sonic, he swiftly unlocked the door. Unfortunately, it wasn't quick enough because he didn't have enough time to close the door once we were all inside. Thinking quickly, The Doctor snatched up a bottle of brandy, brandishing the sonic at it like a weapon of mass destruction. Harriet held a bright red suitcase- the security protocols- protectively to her chest. I stood on The Doctor's other side, keeping Indra, who had decided to stop sobbing in favor of muttering to himself about how we were all going to die, behind me.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof! We all go up. So back off," The Doctor bluffed. His tone was deadly, causing the Slitheen to pause in their approach. "Right then. Question time," he started with the same lethal but cheery voice. He dropped the brandy down half a foot and asked, "Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens," Harriet said helpfully-but-not-really.

"Yes, I got that, thanks," The Doctor replied sarcastically, looking at her briefly before going back to the Slitheen.

"Who are you, if not human?" Joseph Green asked inquisitively. At least, I think it was him.

Harriet frowned. "Who's not human?"

Sighing, I cut in, "The Doctor's not human."

Harriet gave me an incredulous look, asking, "He's not human?"

The Doctor looked back. "Can I have a bit of hush?" he snapped, irritated at not being included in the conversation.

"Sorry," Harriet apologized. She seemed to really mean it, too.

I mentally snorted; like she would let it go that easily.

The Doctor turned back to the Slitheen. "So- what's the plan?"

_And here it is . . . ._ "But he's got a Northern accent." Harriet was frowning again.

I decided to step in, before The Doctor decided to put his bluff to the test just to make her be quiet while he was being all dramatic. "Harriet, it's best if we give The Doctor his hush now," I chastised sensitively.

Her cheeks turned a light pink color, and her eyes were downcast. "Sorry."

The Doctor gave me a thankful look.

Then, smiling, I added, "And lots of planets have a north."

The Doctor's thankful look turned nasty. I giggled but stayed quiet. He held up the brandy again, waggling it threateningly as he snapped at the Slitheen. "Come on! You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for? Invasion?"

"Why would we invade this godforsaken rock?" Affronted, the third Slitheen barked (Was he the general?).

"Then somethin's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?" The Doctor insisted.

"'The Slitheen race'?" was snarled in rage. "Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service," he sneered.

The Doctor took a moment to smile, quietly asking, "So, you're family?"

"A family business."

"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a 'godforsaken rock'?"

One of the Slitheen spoke up: "Ahhh . . . excuse me. Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability . . . .?"

The Doctor responded easily, "That's what I said."

The one who spoke accused, "You're making it up!"

"Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it." The Doctor shrugged, offering Harriet the alcohol.

The woman smiled politely. "You pass it to the left first."

I wondered if this was a good time to ask what that was all about. I was always too lazy to look it up before. Somehow, though, I highly doubted my question would be appreciated. At least by The Doctor, anyway.

"Sorry," he said, passing the decanter to Indra.

"Thanks," the terrified man squeaked, clutching the bottle in his free hand.

"Now we can end this hunt . . . with a slaughter." The Slitheen who spoke raised his claws.

"Shouldn't we run?" Indra questioned fearfully.

I released his hand to pat him on the shoulder. "Now, now, Indra, don't be so hasty. Whatever they want to do to us can't be half as bad as more running. Perhaps we should hear him out." I couldn't have sounded more sincere if I tried.

The man looked at me like I was insane. Grinning, I glanced at The Doctor, waiting for him to make a move.

He was barely keeping his own grin from showing. When he spoke, he sounded like a mixture of an excited child and a lecturing professor: "Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mr. Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain." He flipped open a grey cover and pressed the switch that had been hidden earlier. "End of lesson."

Metal ground against wood as thick steel shutters closed off every entrance to the Cabinet Room.

The Doctor faced us, grinning in pride as his work. "Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in."

Raising an eyebrow, I asked the question that was on the other two humans' minds, "How do we get out?" I didn't fake worry or curiosity. Mentally shuddering, I realized what I sounded like- a teacher asking one of her students why they left a simple question blank.

The Doctor's grin didn't falter. "Ah."

I could practically hear the 'I didn't think about that' that went unsaid.

* * *

While I watched The Doctor drag the empty flesh suit that used to be the Prime Minister into the closet it had fallen out of earlier, two thoughts occurred to me: Indra could've been in there, too, and what about the others?

"Doctor . . . what," I cleared my throat, "what about the others?"

He finished with the Prime Minister and gave me a grim look over his shoulder. I feared for the worst. Then he smiled kindly. "Saved all but one. Managed to cut the electricity off before the circuit was completely filled, only knocked 'em out."

I let out a sigh of relief, but seized up a second later. "Where are they? Are they still in the other room?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah. Went back to search for the extinguisher and saw they weren't there. Window was broken. They even took the body of the dead one."

I collapsed in a chair, smiling stupidly. Only one had died. I had made a difference this time . . . .

The Doctor shoved out of his kneeling position and stood. Swaggering away from the closet, he asked, "Right, what have we got? Any terminals? Anything?"

Since I was lost in thought, Harriet took over the line I was supposed to say. "No, no one ever saw the point of updating. What I don't get, is when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?"

Using his sonic on the barred windows, The Doctor absentmindedly replied, "He's too slim- they're big old beasts, they need to fit inside big humans."

Harriet frowned in confusion. "But the Slitheen are about 8 feet, how do they squeeze inside?"

"That's the device around their necks- compression field- literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas, it's a big exchange."

I came out of my fog. "Ya know, most of the female population would kill for one of those . . . not that I would, but still, it'd almost be worth it."

"Excuse me, people are dead. This is not the time for making jokes," Harriet snapped, sending me an appalled glare.

I shrugged off her comment. "When you run around with The Doctor, you get used to that kind of humor. It's like the police and morticians- regular people think their jokes are insulting to the dead, but really it's just a mechanism to cope with seeing death everywhere. So, really, it's the perfect time to be making jokes."

"Well, that's a strange friendship."

The Doctor suddenly paused in his work. "Harriet Jones- I've heard that name before- Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anythin', are you?"

With a laugh of self-deprecation, Harriet muttered, "Hardly!"

"Rings a bell, Harriet Jones . . . ."

I smirked at The Doctor's confusion and snickered. He gave me the stink eye, knowing I knew what he was trying to remember but refusing to tell him.

"Lifelong back bencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The protocols are redundant, they list the people who can help and they've all escaped," Harriet huffed tiredly.

Nudging out a chair for Indra with a foot, I vaguely asked, "Wouldn't it have, like, nuclear launch codes in there? Ya know? In case of an emergency?"

"There's nothing like that in here. Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations," Harriet replied, frowning.

The Doctor froze and whirled around, coming to stand beside Harriet. He leaned on a chair. "Say that again."

"What, about the codes?" Harriet questioned, puzzled.

"Anything. All of it." Anyone could see the glimmer of an idea in his eyes.

Hesitating for only a few seconds to think, Harriet said, "Um, well . . . the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a special resolution from the UN."

"Like that would stop any government," I scoffed.

"Exactly, given our past record- and I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out of the governments hands and given to the UN. Is it important?"

"Everything's important." The Doctor stared into space absently.

"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted. Listen to me, I'm saying 'Slitheen' as if it's normal," Indra's voice cracked, but he didn't cry. I gave him a few brownie points.

I inspected my nails. I needed a nail file. "So . . . what do they want? They don't want to invade, and it's some sort of business that they need to murder their way into the government for. How many occupations could that be?"

"They want to use something," The Doctor thought aloud. He started to pace. "Something here on Earth . . . some kind of asset."

"Like what? Gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet offered.

The Doctor beamed at her. "You're very good at this."

The woman seemed overjoyed at his compliment. "Thank you."

He pursed his lips in thought and glared at the wall. "Harriet Jones- why do I know that name?"

Fortunately, my phone rang (Digimon theme song, bitches!) before The Doctor could bust a blood vessel trying to remember. I it removed it from my pocket, grumbling, "Why is it that people always want to talk at the most inappropriate times?"

Harriet gaped at me. "But we're sealed of- how did you get a signal?" she asked incredulously.

I used the phone to point at The Doctor. "He did some techno jiggery-pokery to it. Super phone," I explained, flipping open my cell and examining exactly what had been sent to me.

"Then we can phone for help! You must have contacts!" Indra pleaded to The Doctor.

The Doctor snorted, "All in hospital, yeah."

"It's Mickey," I called out.

He scowled. "Oh, tell your friend's stupid boyfriend we're busy."

"You shouldn't call him stupid," I sing-songed. I held my phone up for him to see the picture of a Slitheen getting electrocuted in Jackie's kitchen. The phone rang again, this time signaling an incoming call. I answered it with only slight irritation. "They're all right? No, Mickey, I don't want to talk to them, just tell me if they're all right."

The Doctor snatched the phone away. I huffed, pouting. "Could've just asked," I muttered.

"Is that Ricky? Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer," The Doctor ordered cantankerously. "Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, eh . . . I need you."

I snickered.

While Mickey did as he was told, The Doctor connected my phone to a speaker he had found. He sat it in the middle of the table and waited; whatever Mickey tried to say was blocked out by static.

"Say it again."

"It's asking for the password," Mickey repeated.

Harriet poured each of us a glass of brandy. Indra downed his in one go and motioned for another. Raising an eyebrow, Harriet granted his request.

The Doctor responded easily, like knowing top secret government passwords was something everyone knew, "Buffalo- two Fs, one L."

Jackie asked some offhand question about the website. Mickey explained simply: "All the secret information known to mankind. See, they've known about aliens for years, they just kept us in the dark."

"Mickey, you were born in the dark!" The Doctor snapped.

"Leave him alone!" Ashley barked back, obviously having overhead The Doctor's comment.

"Thank you." I could hear the delight in his voice. "Password again."

"Just repeat it, every time." _Wow, not big on security are they?_ "Big Ben- why did the Slitheen hit Big Ben?"

Harriet handed him his glass of alcohol. "You said to gather the experts . . . to kill them."

Shaking his head, The Doctor said, "That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon, you don't need to crash land in the middle of London." He looked at me. "Dahlia, how much can you tell us?"

"How 'bout a question instead?" I smiled. "If the Slitheen were hiding, why would they put the entire planet on red alert?"

"Oh, listen to her," Jackie scoffed over the phone.

I narrowed my eyes at the phone. _ Jackie, I swear to God . . . ._

"Well, I've got a question if you don't mind. Because since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappeared off the face of the Earth," Jackie snarled.

"I told you not to call me that," I muttered. "And I told you what happened."

"I'll call you what I want!" she snapped. "And I'm talking to him! 'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it. And maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this . . . is my daughter safe?"

The Doctor's face darkened. He looked down and glowered at the table. That was one question I knew he'd never be able to answer. Both of us knew the truth, that I was likely to die today or tomorrow as long as I kept running with him, but she had no right, _no right_ to judge until she actually took time to get to know him.

Jackie was quick to attack in the moment of silence. "So, tell me Doctor. Is she safe? Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that?"

I grimaced at the phone. "Jackie, for once in your life, be quiet."

"Dahlia, I'm asking—"

"I know," I cut her off, "but I'm answering. The answer is no. No, he cannot promise that I'll always be safe. In fact, the only thing he can promise is that each and every day I'm likely to die. You wanted the truth, Jackie- there it is. What're you gonna do about it? I don't take orders from you; you might think of yourself as my mother but you're not. Hell, even if she told me to stay away from The Doctor, I wouldn't. I chose to travel with him and the only way I'll stop is if he kicks me out of the TARDIS.

The only consolation I can offer you and Ashley is that he'll try his damn hardest to keep me safe. And if you actually knew him, you'd know I'm a hell of a lot safer with him than anywhere else in the universe." My hard gaze was drawn up to The Doctor. He was frozen in place, eyes wide and jaw slack, though not gaping openly. He obviously hadn't expected me to stand up to him.

I mentally snorted. Of course he hadn't, who would dare stand up to Jackie?

"We're in," Mickey said, breaking through the tension that had gripped the room. Hell, I think Indra was about to drown in sweat and alcohol.

The Doctor cleared his throat and moved closer to the speaker and spoke clearly, "Right then. On the left, there's a tab- an icon- little concentric circles. Click on that."

A series of incomprehensible beeps on repeat sounded from the phone. "What is it?" Mickey asked, no doubt frowning at the screen of his computer.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying," The Doctor said quickly.

Jackie attempted to ask something but was hushed by Mickey.

"It's some sort of message," I piped up, stealing The Doctor's line.

Indra frowned and leaned forward. "What's it say?" _Huh . . . didn't expect him to be curious._

"Don't know. It's on a loop, keeps repeating." A doorbell on Mickey's end of the connection cut him off. "Hush!" The Doctor growled at the phone.

"That's not met," Mickey defended. "Go and see who that is," he told Jackie. He sighed roughly when Jackie attempted to argue. "Well go and tell them that."

The Doctor, however, still had his mind on the signal. "It's beaming out into space. Who's it for?"

Jackie screamed something in the background. Mickey cursed. "They've found us."

"Mickey, I need that signal," The Doctor huffed irritably.

"Never mind the signal! We need to get out!" That was Ashley. It was the first time I'd heard her speak since our chat in her room. She sounded scared out of mind. I clenched my fists and set my jaw.

Surprisingly, Mickey was the voice of reason in the situation. "We can't. It's by the front door." A buzzing interrupted him. "Oh my God, it's unmasking! It's gonna kill us!"

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet screamed. She glared at The Doctor and wrathfully barked, "You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!"

"I'm trying!" he snapped back.

I shoved out of my chair and stalked closer to the phone. "Mickey, give the phone to the closest person!" I ordered and impatiently waited for him to obey.

"Wha-what now?" Ashley's voice quivered over the connection.

I inhaled deeply. "Do exactly as I say, Ashley. Go to the kitchen and find anything with vinegar. Empty it all into a bowl."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at me. "What're you doing?" he demanded.

"Saving their lives," I retorted bluntly.

"Aha! Gherkins! Yeah! Pickled onions! Picked eggs!" Ashley sounded off every vinegar related item she found.

The Doctor curled his lip in distaste. He looked up at me. "She kisses that man?"

Deciding to ignore him, I continued to instruct Ashley: "Toss the entire bowl on the Slitheen. Make sure he's in the hallway and not the living room, because there's gonna be one serious mess."

A few seconds later, a resounding bang! from the phone signaled that the Slitheen was just a bunch of bits and goo.

We all let out sighs of relief. Harriet gave me a hard look. "How did you know what to do? I thought The Doctor was the expert."

I rolled my eyes and tried not to sound too condescending when I replied. "Just because everyone acknowledges him as the expert, it doesn't mean he knows or can do everything. Besides, it was simple to deduce once I knew which planet they were from."

The Doctor grinned and asked, "Which one?"

Raising an eyebrow, I simply said, "Raxacoricofallapatorius."

"Aha! Knew it!" he cheered.

I smirked, reaching over to pat the hand he had resting on the table. "I'm sure you did, Doctor," I cooed.

He ignored me in order to listen to Mickey. "Listen to this."

Joseph Green's voice sprung from the phone. "Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within forty-five seconds."

The Doctor's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

Joseph Green continued. "Our technicians can . . . baffle . . . the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the ship is our only chance of survival. Because . . . from this moment on . . . it is my solemn duty to inform you . . . planet Earth is at war." _Holy shit, was that what people really sound like when they tell people they're probably going to die? I use that tone all the time; it's a wonder everyone around me isn't permanently in panic mode._

Glaring at the phone with disgust, The Doctor pointed at it and said, "He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it."

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet asked fearfully.

Indra spoke up, "Why wouldn't they?"

"Besides, that's human nature: when we're afraid, we lash out at what we think is about the hurt us. Most of the time we rarely even think to ask questions before blowing something up," I added.

Moving toward the door, The Doctor muttered, "That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking. Dahlia's right; you lot—you get scared, you lash out."

"They release the defense codes . . . ." I trailed off, waiting for The Doctor to finish the thought.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear."

"But _why_?" Harriet questioned desperately.

The Doctor pressed the grey button near the shutters, causing them to open a four inch window for us to see the Slitheen.

"You get the codes, release the missiles— but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked," The Doctor states coldly.

Margaret moved past the other Slitheen to stand in front. "And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed. Just parked. Only two minutes away!"

Harriet seemed to not be able to believe what she was hearing, because she cried, "But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?"

The Doctor answered her question instead of the Slitheen. "Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space- an advert."

"Sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it. Piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel," Margaret replied. Her smug smile said the rest.

"At the cost of 5 billion lives." The calm Doctor was back. Too bad the Slitheen didn't know how much trouble they really were in.

"Bargain!" Margaret giggled arrogantly.

"Then I give you a choice—leave this planet or I'll stop you," he said simply.

The Slitheen laughed gutturally. A shudder ran up my spine. I wasn't sure if it was from the Slitheen's laughter or from my knowledge of The Oncoming Storm and his warning signs.

Margaret's snickering quieted just enough for her to speak. "What? You? Trapped in your box?"

With a face of impassive calm, The Doctor quietly confirmed: "Yes. Me." Two words that were so insignificant, so calmly spoken, they shouldn't have meant anything, but they did. Those two words were the perfect promise.

He pressed the grey button again and the doors slowly closed.

Margaret's smirk slipped from her face. I could see her assurance fade and fear take its place. The Slitheen had mocked the Devil and now there would be Hell to pay.

* * *

The reporter from the television Mickey had set the phone on gave his report coolly: "It's midnight here in New York. The United Nations has gathered. England has provided them with absolute proof that the massive weapons of mass destruction do exist. The Security Council will be making a resolution in a matter of minutes. And once the codes are released, humanity's first interplanetary war begins."

"Alright, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do," Jackie sad anxiously.

Harriet absentmindedly remarked, "If we could ferment the porch, we could make acetic acid."

I sighed. "No point in trying any of the emergency numbers- they're all on voicemail."

Leaning back and closing my eye, I thought. _Here it comes. Better get ready . . . hopefully Indra won't start crying again._

"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet muttered mournfully.

Indra's voice was rough. "If we could just get out of here . . . ."

"There's a way out." The Doctor was standing away from the rest of us, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest as he thought. I could picture that stance perfectly. I didn't need to open my eyes to see it.

"What?" Indra choked out.

"There's always been a way out."

I could also picture the scandalized look on Indra's face. "Then why don't we use it?"

The Doctor's heavy boots thumped on the floor as he moved over to the table. He spoke into the phone and directly to Jackie. "Because I can't guarantee Dahlia will be safe."

Jackie didn't hesitate to snub the idea. "Don't you dare! Whatever it is, don't you dare!"

"That's the thing, if I don't dare, everyone dies," he stated back matter-of-factly.

"Doctor, quit drawing this out for drama's sake and do it all ready," I admonished from my seat. I didn't bother opening my eyes to watch his reaction.

I felt his stare on me. I still didn't look at him.

"Dahlia," he urged quietly, and I knew what he needed.

Blinking until my vision was clear, I met The Doctor's stare and my stomach quivered. It wasn't fair. Why did he get the power to show so many emotions with one look? Why couldn't I do that? So much warmth and trust bleeding with a need for reassurance that he was doing the right thing; worry melding into his sense of duty to save as many people as possible, even at the cost of those he valued most.

"Yes, Doctor, I know what you're going to do and yes, I trust you. You really shouldn't have to ask at this point, but oh well." I shrugged as if trying to get rid of his concern, but he knew better.

"Please, Doctor. Please! She's just like a daughter to me; she's just a kid."

The Doctor spoke to Jackie, but kept his gaze on me. "Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie, it's not fun, it's not smart. It's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

I hummed _The Girl from Impanema_. "Then what're you waiting for, Doctor?"

"Dahlia . . . oh, Dahlia Tombew, you don't understand . . . ." My gut twisted again and my breath hitched in my throat. He wasn't supposed to say that. That wasn't the line. His eyes were pleading with me to understand what he was trying to convey, but I couldn't. "I could save the world but lose you."

Harriet decided to ruin our moment (if that's what it could be called). "Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine." She walked closer to the table, head held high and standing tall. Responsibility poured off of her.

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie growled angrily.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people, for the people, and on behalf of the people I command you. Do it." Her hand twitched when he introduced herself, like she was itching to reach for her ID.

The Doctor grinned at me and reached for the briefcase that held the emergency protocols.

"Doctor! Wait!"

He paused at Ashley's desperate tone. We all waited for her to speak.

She cleared her throat and nervously started, "Dahlia, do you . . . do you trust him? I-I'm not gonna argue like my mum, but I . . . I just need to know that . . . ."

A small smile graced my lips. Good ole Ashley, she was less like her mom than I thought she was.

"I trust him with my life and more, Ashley." My reply was quiet but it carried throughout the room easily.

I was paying so much attention to Ashley that I almost missed the smile The Doctor gave me. My cheeks heated up and I looked at the smooth tabletop.

Ashley coughed. "All right then. Well, Doctor, how do you lot get out?"

"We don't. We stay here," he said, shuffling through the protocols. "Use the buffalo password, it overrides everything."

I shoved myself out of my chair and moved toward the supply closet. Jerking the door open, I pointed at both Indra and Harriet. "You two, help me clear all this stuff out. We'll ride out the explosion in here," I ordered. "Doctor, just keep doing what you're doing."

He snorted at my order, but didn't say anything against it.

Once the closet was empty, I examined it. Yep, big enough for four people, but just barely.

"Mickey the Idiot. The world is in your hands. Fire," The Doctor said calmly.

A beeping came from the phone; it steadily crescendo-ed until it was almost the only thing we could hear. "It's on radar. Counter defense 556."

"Stop them intercepting it."

"I'm doing it now."

"Good boy."

"556 neutralized," Mickey stated evenly.

Snatching the phone from the speaker, The Doctor rushed into the closet behind us. I was squeezed in-between The Doctor and Indra, with Harriet on Indra's other side. We all held hands. An alarm started screaming soon after.

"Nice knowing all of you," Harriet choked out.

_Should I brace myself? This is going to be like a car wreck isn't it? I heard that you're supposed to relax during a car wreck since that helps your bones not break as easily, but I'm not sure if that's true or not—_ The missile hit, cutting off my terrified thoughts. I think I tensed myself in the end but I'm not really sure.

My eyes screwed shut and I clenched both Indra and The Doctor's hands. A scream built up in my throat but I clenched my teeth, refusing to give in. Someone to my left screamed. It might've been Harriet, but it was probably Indra.

I smelt the fire and ash seconds after the explosion. Suddenly, I was back on Gallifrey; the heat of the flames licking at my skin as I regenerated . . . No! No-no-no-no, I'm at 10 Downing Street with The Doctor, Harriet, and Indra, waiting out a missile strike in a closet. I am _not_ on Gallifrey. I was _never_ on Gallifrey. Back in the closet, my body was tossed every which way along with the others. I curled in on myself and desperately prayed for this to end before The Doctor found out what was wrong.

"Dahlia?" The Doctor was gently shaking me.

I opened my eyes to see him kneeling in front of me. Harriet and Indra were gone. They had probably left through the open door. Struggling to my feet, I raced outside, away from the fire and ash and smell of singed hair.

I collapsed a few feet away from where Harriet and Indra were standing. Harriet was talking to a sergeant. "Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is over and they can step down. Go on, tell the news!" She sighed. "Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!"

Why was my vision going black?

The Doctor stopped behind me, and I could tell he was grinning from the tone of his voice. "Well, maybe you should have a go."

Harriet laughed. "Me? I'm only a back bencher."

Oh . . . I wasn't breathing, that's why. Taking a huge gulp of air, I gasped out, "I'd vote for ya, you know . . . if I was a British citizen, which I'm not. I think, I don't know if I ever got that sorted out."

Harriet only smiled. "Now don't be silly. Look, I'd better go see if I can help." Climbing over the rubble, she waved an arm above her head. "Hang on!" she shouted. "The Earth is safe! Sergeant!"

Indra stumbled after her, looking like all he wanted to do was collapse in bed with a nice cup of tea.

The Doctor grinned down at me proudly proclaimed, "I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones— future Prime Minister; elected for three successive terms . . . the architect of Britain's Golden Age."

I groaned. "Well, congratu-fucking-lations, you remembered something for once."

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's just get back to the TARDIS; this shit-storm requires me consuming multiple pints of Ben & Jerry's while watching Firefly until I pass out," I grumbled, standing and brushing debris and dirt off my pants and shirt.

The Doctor lightly gripped my shoulder. "Dahlia, are you sure you're okay?" His eyes were wide with so much concern I almost broke. Almost. But I didn't. The Doctor didn't me to dump my problems on his consciousness. No, I'd just deal with those when I was alone. Right now I just wanted to get back the TARDIS and away from where the missile landed. I'd feel better then.

"I just have a headache, Doctor. It's nothing," I said lowly. "Can we just get back to the TARDIS?"

For a while he just stared at me, searching my eyes for any signs of lying. Finally, he released my shoulder and backed away. He didn't look satisfied, but he wouldn't push it. Reaching out his hand, The Doctor intertwined his fingers with mine and, smiling hugely, led me to where the TARDIS was parked.

* * *

When we entered the Tyler flat, Ashley immediately swept me into a bone crushing hug and Jackie soon after her. Ashley pulled me away just as I was about to be smothered, though, so it was all good. We sat on the couch to watch Harriet's speech, but we didn't pay it a bit of attention. Instead, Ashley clutched my hands in hers and told me that she believed me about everything- me being kidnapped from another dimension to save this one, The Doctor being an alien, my traveling with him- and while she didn't really care for it, she just wanted me to be safe.

Smiling kindly, I reversed our hands so I could squeeze hers comfortingly. "Ashley," I murmured, "you know I can't promise you anything. This life that I'm a part of . . . it's just like The Doctor said. It's dangerous and nearly every time we step out of the TARDIS, there's a crisis we need to solve. I'll never truly be safe, but you know I'll try as hard as I can to stay alive and, if I fail in that, take as many bad guys with me as I can."

She sniffled. "Why can't you two go someplace there isn't any danger?"

My smile turned sad and looked down at the couch. "Because, the TARDIS doesn't always take us where we _want_ to go . . . she takes us where we _need_ to go."

Her hands wiggled in my grip and I released one of them so she could wipe her eyes. "Dahlia, are you . . . are you traveling with The Doctor because you want to or, or because you have to?" she asked quietly but urgently.

I . . . I hadn't really thought of that before. Why was I traveling with The Doctor? I mean, yeah, he said he'd take me along even if the universe wouldn't threaten to collapse if he didn't, but why was I doing it? I knew the risks. Not just knew_ of_ them, but actually _knew_ them. Alone, I'd nearly died three times today! But when I thought about it, really thought about it- I knew the answer.

The smile that split my lips was genuine, filled with blissful happiness I rarely found myself able to feel. Rubbing intricate circle patterns on Ashley's palm, I breathed out, "While I probably would never have gotten the courage to demand a place on the TARDIS without the destruction of the universe hanging over my head, if The Doctor had asked me, I would've gone with him in a heart beat. No second guesses."

Ashley didn't say anything else.

* * *

There was no point in checking on my apartment. Ashley had saved the few personal things I had left, but there wasn't much. I never got around to decorating the place and making it into a home. The entire space had just been a glorified hotel room to me. Ashley had always asked me why I never redecorated or personalized beyond a few photos and books; now she knew why.

"Don't go, sweetheart! You can get your flat back! Stay with us in the meantime! Ashley and I don't mind!" Jackie, of course, didn't seem to get why I wasn't staying.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Mum, she can't stay! I already explained this to you." Well, she'd explained most of it anyway. Ashley told me she'd explain more once I was gone. If she tried now, Jackie would never let me leave.

The Doctor was leaning against the TARDIS' doorframe, quirking an eyebrow as the small group following me, a smirk on his face. Sending him a nasty look, I addressed Jackie, "I would tell you not to worry, but you will anyway. The Doctor will keep me safe, even if it's just so he can brag about it later. The TARDIS is a time machine; I can be gone for months and come back before you guys even get home!" I gave each of them a hug and backed up towards the TARDIS.

It was Ashley who stopped me this time. She leaned in and motion for me to do the same. "Promise me you won't forget about us," she whispered, glaring at the ground and twisting her hands nervously.

I smiled and hugged her again. "Promise." And then I was side by side with The Doctor, clutching the console while he threw us into The Vortex again.

No, I wouldn't forget. I decided right then and there that no matter what happened, or what world was ending, I wouldn't forget that I had someone waiting for me.

* * *

**That's the end. This chapter is filled with so many heart to heart conversation that my teething starting rotting while I was writing it. And yes, I am aware of the cheese. The cheeseyness in this chapter outweighs anything I have done before- in my mind, at least. So, hopefully you enjoyed that (despite the cheese) and I plan on the next chapter being up as soon as I transfer it from paper to computer.**


	12. Bad Day

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! It's nice to know that you guys actually like what I'm writing. So, here's a chapter that's going to make you happy and frustrated at the same time!**

* * *

The Doctor and I were relaxing in the kitchen today. He was nursing a mug of tear while I occasionally swigged my third Starbucks mocha iced coffee. The TARDIS, after learning of my obsession with the caffeinated drink, kept a continuous stock ready in the electric blue refrigerator.

Upon finding the stash, I pledged my soul to the TARDIS.

The Doctor, however, did not approve of my choice in beverage. He had offered to make me tea, but I'd turned him down, informing him that I hated any and all form of tea.

"But you're from the southern United States!" he'd exclaimed.

I just shrugged. "Tea makes me sick. Don't know why."

Now we were lounging at the dining table after a day filled with nothing. Surprisingly, it had been The Doctor who had suggested a rest day. Granted, he hadn't been very polite with his justification ("You humans need time to relax. If I run you into the ground, you'll never keep up") but I knew he meant well.

The click of The Doctor's mug being set down brought me out of the Deadpool comic I had been enjoying. The Doctor had mocked my when I'd retrieved it, saying I should read something with value. Then I watched him grab what I knew was a trashy alien romance. 'Read something with value' my ass . . . .

"Dahlia," The Doctor said, "I was wonderin' . . . about the person you were brought here to replace . . . could you tell me about them?"

I cringed. I knew he'd ask one day, but that didn't mean I wanted to talk about it. Sighing, I closed the comic and pushed it away.

"You don't have to if you don't want to . . . I mean, I know you don't like when I ask but—" The Doctor stumbled over his words, panicking. He probably thought we were going to start arguing again. I wasn't going to let that happen. We were going to have an adult conversation with no yelling for once.

Sighing again, I consoled him, "It's fine, Doctor. I understand your curiosity. And I guess you do have a right to know . . . it's not like either of us will ever meet her.

"Her name was Rose Tyler. Originally, she was Jackie Tyler's only child; in this universe, she was Ashley's twin sister. The reason I'm here is because she died a short time after birth. Everything else is the saem."

I could tell he was feeling awkward now. "Don't apologize, you have no reason to. I didn't know her," I interrupted his train of thought.

"What was she like?" he asked curiously.

I clenched my jaw and tried to stay neutral. "Sweet, I guess would be appropriate . . . and flirty. She was pretty, by many people's standards; loyal, to the right person; naïve; there were times when she acted exactly like Jackie." Smiling sardonically, I added with only slight bitterness, "She was your perfect companion."

The Doctor's curiosity morphed to confusion. His eyebrows furrowed as he frowned and a crease formed between them.

Ah, so he noticed my tone for once . . . .

"What did you think of her?" He tilted his head to the side.

I grimaced. "I didn't like her."

"Why not?"

"She was too perfect." Wow, didn't I sound like the bitter old crone. "Sweet, naïve, beautiful Rose Tyler who couldn't do anything wrong. Every guy she met fell in love with her and her boyfriend always took her back, no matter what she did. She could throw hissy fits all day long and just be seen as cute." I sounded pathetic. All that jealousy and anger over a dead girl.

"What did she look like?"

My blood boiled in jealousy at the question. Stupid, messed up feelings; I had no right to be jealous of a question he had a right to ask.

"I think . . . I think it would be best if, if I showed you," I suggested dispassionately.

He nodded and scooted his chair closer. Raising his hands to my head, The Doctor asked, "Ready?"

I projected the clearest memory of Rose Tyler I had to the front of my mind. The Doctor wouldn't probe any deeper than that. "Ready," I confirmed, closing my eyes. Moments later I felt the bliss of him entering my mind.

I felt him examine the memory of smiling Rose from all angles, diligently leaving no detail unobserved.

After several long moments, The Doctor released the mental connection, taking the warm blanket I felt from his presence with it.

The Doctor looked me in the eye. "She's pretty . . . for a blonde."

I raised an eyebrow and forced my voice to sound teasing. "Thought you liked blondes."

He chuckled. "Nah. Found I have a preference for curly brunettes."

I swallowed thickly. I recognized what he was doing. He ad told me, without actually saying it, that it was my move. I could either back down or meet his challenge.

But how had he known? His darkening gaze promised that he knew more than he let on.

What should I do? It would be all too easy to lean forward and give into temptation. I wouldn't even have to move very far; The Doctor was still invading my personal space as he tended to do. Would it be worth it, though? I knew my feelings (I wasn't denying what they were) went deeper than a nerd crush or simple lust. It wasn't love, not yet, but it could develop.

Personally, I was afraid of falling in love. Not just with The Doctor, but anyone. I'd never been in love before. Sure, I've had boyfriends in the past but nothing ever clicked correctly enough for something other than glorified friendship.

_No. Fuck this. Fuck thinking. Go with what you want. Smother yourself in self loathing later._

I straightened in my seat with a newfound determinate. The Doctor's eyes glinted sharply. He'd noticed I'd made a decision.

As Eleven would say "Geronimo".

A smile curled at The Doctor's mouth when I leaned forward, and he mirrored me.

We were so close our breath skimmed the other's lips, and then . . . the TARDIS lurched.

A panicked noise made its way out of my throat. Our chairs skidded across the floor several feet. I was luckier than The Doctor; his extra weight caused him to tumble onto the floor.

Sounding too much like Ten for comfort, The Doctor cried out, "What?" and clambered off the floor, rushing from the kitchen and to, most likely, the console room.

I curled my knees up to my chest, buried my face in them, and let out a scream of pure frustration.

* * *

We were running. Again. On another alien planet, through another alien forest, away from another alien tribe The Doctor had managed to piss off, n the distant year of 4283. The name of the solar system, planet, and species we were currently fleeing escaped my knowledge at the moment since, as you know, _we were running for our lives_. The Doctor would surely lecture me on the importance of useless trivia.

"_Why_ did you have to insult their goddess?" I demanded angrily, my scowl deepening as a small branch whipped across my cheek.

"How was I supposed to know they were worshiping the statue?" The Doctor snapped back. He was a few feet ahead since he apparently 'remembered' where the parked the TARDIS.

I dodged a stump, snarling, "What do you mean— . . . How couldn't you? Didn't the offerings, decorations, and fact that they were praying to the _Almighty Goddess Elneera _tip you off? Holy shit, dude, if being oblivious was an Olympic sport, you'd get the gold."

He looked back to glare at me but ended up stumbling over a shrub.

I would've cackled, but my lungs were preoccupied with breathing as evenly as possible. Oh well, I'd make fun of him later. Maybe I could be more creative this time. Instead of just a few snide remarks, I could put signs up around the TARDIS, all pertaining to shrubbery and how to keep your balance. Oh! If I asked nicely enough, the TARDIS might make random shrubs pop up in The Doctor's path and make him—

An insignificant part in the very back of my mind snapped into place, causing a chain reaction.

The air whooshed from my lungs as if I'd been punched in the gut. While I struggled to breath, my feet tangled themselves with a group of above-ground, corkscrew roots. I barely managed to right myself (flailing around wildly wasn't the best tactic no matter how easy Eleven make it seem). My right side, mostly the shoulder, slammed into a florescent, oak-like tree attached to the roots. I slouched against it and gasped for air; my windpipe felt like it was closing off. I started to choke.

I was alone.

I don't mean just here out in this damn glowing forest, even if that was true since The Doctor hadn't noticed I had involuntarily stopped running. No, I meant the entire freakin' universe. Everyone I knew from my old life was gone. I would never see them again.

Tears stung my eyes and blurred my vision. They stayed put even when I stubbornly tried to blink them away.

_God, when The Doctor said it would hit me outta the blue, he meant it_, I tried to think in a snide tone but all I could muster was to sound defeated. Defeated and drowning in misery. Why did it have to happen now? Why couldn't it wait until I safely got to the TARDIS?

I sloppily wiped my eyes and nose, smearing salty water and shot across my face. I needed to keep going. Damn everything to Hell if I died because of a mental breakdown.

When I finally started moving, it was more of a show jog rather than a run, but I didn't care.

I was in near physical agony, forcing myself to move under the crushing weight of depression.

As I moved, I tried to think of something, anything, to take my mind off the hurt I felt. Nothing helped. Not even the normally reassuring weight of Koschei's watch against my thigh could comfort me.

I gave up fighting the depression. The only thing I could do was get back to the TARDIS.

Tripping over what was either a prickly shrub or a small animal, I was sent careening into a mossy wall. Dazed, I stumbled backwards over a slippery group of pebbles. Before I could fall painfully on my ass, a hand shot out of the darkness and gripped my wrist.

I blinked plainly. I didn't struggle.

"What were you thinking? Takin' a rest when there're angry natives after us, you know better than that," The Doctor scolded, hauling me into a standing position.

I didn't respond, but The Doctor didn't seem to care. He was running again and now forcing me along.

The natives were closer now; I hadn't noticed before but I could hear their shrieks and cries of fury. Those were some seriously pissed off aliens.

The Doctor dragged me through the forest. We tore through bushes, trampled humming flowers, snapped branches, and just made tons of noise in general. We weren't trying to hide anymore. Hiding wouldn't keep us alive; only running would.

I wasn't keeping track of where we were going or our surroundings. I was lost amongst the terror and misery and thoughts of _just keep running_. I didn't notice The Doctor had skidded to a stop. I crashed into his very solid form with a thud! and lost my footing. My legs collapsed. The Doctor, quick as lightning, snapped my wrist forward, bringing me with it. When I righted myself, the reason for The Doctor's sudden pause faded into focus. The TARDIS. We'd found her.

I let out a low whine deep in my throat.

The Doctor dug through his pocket frantically. He jerked the key out and shoved it into the lock. Then he was shoving the door open and storming inside the TARDIS. I fumbled after him.

Shutting the door behind me with a soft click, I collapsed against it and slid to the floor. Once there, I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

The Doctor paid me no mind. He leaped around the console, smashing buttons and snapping down levers.

The engines ground together with the tell-tale noise and we were in the Vortex.

"Now that that's all settled— why did you stop? You've got more sense than that! I know you do!" The Doctor whined. I didn't have to see him to hear his pout. "Dahlia?" His footsteps clanged on the metal grating as he approached me.

He asked softly, "Dahlia? Are you all right? Are you hurt?" He knelt beside me, lightly touching my arm.

I sniffed and looked up at him through watery eyes. "Doctor," I whimpered like a wounded animal, unfurling my arms to reach for him.

Before I even spoke, understanding overtook his features. "Oh, Dahlia," he whispered compassionately. The Doctor gathered me up, completely surrounding me in a protective embrace. He sat down to curl me onto his lap.

He didn't say anything else. He just held me and allowed me to sob into his shoulder soaking his jumper with tears and snot.

I was glad for it; didn't need or want words. All I wanted was for someone to hold me and stroke my back and hair like The Doctor was doing right now/

The console room was silent, yes, but it was a good silence, an understanding silence. I was being crushed under new pain while The Doctor relived his older, still bleeding wounds. I vaguely wondered how long it would take for him to collapse under the guilt and retreat, leaving me here to fend for myself against the onslaught.

I absentmindedly tightened my grip on his clothing.

The Doctor shifted me in his arms.

My eyes snapped open. No! No, you can't! In a desperate attempt to keep him there, I clung to him, even while he fought to stand.

"Sh, sshhh, it's all right," he murmured soothingly. "Up ya go now."

He lifted me bridal style and stood. The Doctor gracefully strolled down the halls of the TARDIS. He stopped at a door, shoved it open, and walked in.

Lifting me head to look around, I recognized my room.

The Doctor gently laid me on the bed before backing up.

Alarmed, I jerked up to grip his jacket. I whimpered.

The Doctor's hands slid along mine reassuringly. "I'm not leavin'," he muttered firmly.

We had a small stare down until I reluctantly released him.

His hands skimmed along my hoodie, pulling down the zipper and carefully maneuvering my arms from the sleeves; he folded it over the back of my desk chair.

The Doctor tugged my shoes off my feet. They hit the floor with solids thunks. He then toed off his own boots, slipping out of the leather jacket at the same time. The Doctor moved to the opposite side of the bed and slid in beside me. I rolled over to face him. He didn't ask if I was all right; we both knew I wasn't, but I was still grateful.

The Doctor stroked my cheek. "I was alone when all this hit me. I'm not goin' to let you suffer like I did," he whispered. His caress halted at my temple. He hesitantly asked, "May I?"

I nodded slowly and closed my eyes.

A burnt orange sky flared with two suns in front of my eyes. Red grass sprouted to life. Trees with glittering silver leaves swayed in a breeze. The Doctor and I lounged side by side amongst the red grass and firebirds, a Gallifreyan glowers with red, feather-like petals and a curling orange stem. When the suns' light hit them just right flames sprung to life all around us.

Gallifrey. The Doctor was showing me Gallifrey.

The only time I had ever seen The Doctor's home world it had been on fire. At night, when I closed my eyes to sleep, I could still smell the ash and blood that had permeated the air- on a good night. Bad nights were when I could still hear the Time Lords scream as they were slaughtered by the Daleks. I didn't get much sleep on those nights.

I blocked out those thoughts. One mental breakdown at a time, thank you.

"This is one of the few memories I have of my home that wasn't spoiled by the war," The Doctor said quietly, breaking the silence. "In my earlier regenerations this is all I would do when I visited Gallifrey- for the most part. It's where I felt most at peace. Even now it's one of the few places where I feel truly comfortable."

I let The Doctor ramble. His presence and voice were more consoling than numerous words of comfort.

The Doctor talked about Gallifrey- about the planet, the capitol, the fashion (we both agreed it was too stuffy), traditions and ceremonies (he became nervous when he explained sexuality and marriages, but he did explain it more thoroughly than the others), and eventually came to Time Lord biology. Apparently, all his senses were heightened. Which meant he could smell and hear things humans couldn't . . . like pheromones and human companions working out their pent up sexual frustration. He didn't say so, but I knew it was implied.

My cheeks burned. I made sure to avoid The Doctor's probing gaze.

Forcing myself not to stutter, I asked quickly, "Can I show you something?"

"Of course."

Smiling, I connected to my physical body and brought my fingers to The Doctor's temple. I focused on two images and then projected them into his mind.

On the plain of mental Gallifrey, a house appeared. It wasn't at all special, just a plain two-story cedar house with a tin roof and a front porch. Several cats lounged in the wooden swing off to the left. Soft plumes of smoke rose from the stone chimney.

"That's my house; it's where I was raised and where I was living before I came here," I explained.

The Doctor nodded but didn't let his stare waver from the house.

I pulled up the other image. Five people flickered into view on the porch; three men, two women.

I sat up. "The oldest guy's my dad. We didn't always get along, mostly for my views on religion. You know which one's my mom. Can you believe she's in her fifties? Barely looks thirty-five. That boy with the curly mop of black hair? That's my brother. Thinks he's so cool." I smiled again. "He tries harder than you do to prove it. He's really into dinosaurs, though. Not much for Syfy."

He frowned. "The other woman- she's your sister, yeah?"

"Mmhm."

"She's pregnant."

I stopped fiddling with the grass. "Yeah, five months along when I last saw her. You see the 6'6" wall of muscle beside her? That's her husband. Real nice guy, kinda awkward, but he's cool. He's an engineer."

The Doctor hummed in acknowledgement. "You and your sister look almost exactly alike."

I snorted. "Yeah, even though we're five years apart, she's a taller, slimmer version of me with straight hair . . . but I'm weirder," I said.

We sat in silence.

"Doctor," I prompted near silently, "I miss them."

"I know," he replied sadly.

"I want to go home."

"I know."

"But I can't," I finished, tears brimming again.

"I know," he whispered.

"Doctor," I sniffled. "Don't leave me."

The Doctor sat up and settled his arm around my shoulder, curling me into his side. He tilted my head to rest on his shoulder.

"I won't."

* * *

**Wow. I thought it'd be longer than that. But anyway, three cheers for me updating faster than ever!**

**We're supposed to go to the coast today, I think, so I won't be able to start the next chapter until tomorrow (which I'm not happy about) but I'll have to deal.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys next time!**


	13. Death and Mercy

**Yes! It's another chapter finished! There are probably some mistakes (though I hope there aren't) and I apologize for them.**

**If you're wondering why The Doctor's been avoiding Dahlia, read the second chapter of my other story Takeaways: DW. It's basically smut mixed with guilt.**

* * *

The Doctor had avoided me for a few weeks after he returned my sonic screwdriver. I was still confused about that, too. How did it get into the console room? And why didn't he ask more questions about where I got it? At first I thought I had done something wrong or he was angry about me keeping my sonic a secret for so long, but when I confronted him about it, all The Doctor could stutter was that it wasn't my fault. It was a Time Lord thing and I didn't want to understand because it was a disgusting biology thing. Right after telling me this, he scurried from the room faster than I'd ever seen him move.

I didn't seek him out after that. If it was that embarrassing, then I wouldn't bother him. Maybe it was the male, Time Lord version of a period. If that was the case then I definitely didn't want to be around when he switched moods.

Now though, a month and a half later, he was back to his old self. Sometimes he wouldn't meet my eyes for long periods of time, but I didn't think anything of it. The Doctor wasn't actively avoiding me and we were back to adventuring around the universe.

Now all we had to do was not die during the landing.

"Doctor!" I screamed, clinging to railing with every ounce of strength I had. "What the fuck did you just press?!"

He was attempting to stabilize us midflight. At the same time, he was trying to land. It was going as well as one could imagine.

"Don't you start with me! I punched in the correct calculations! She's just bein' a bit difficult today!" he retorted.

Lights flashed angrily. Steam started filling the console room from places I couldn't even see. Sparks flowered from the base of the central column. A series of buttons just to my right flashed in an oddly steady pattern. Too steady to be caused by us spinning out of control.

I smirked and made my way to the console, slowly and unsteadily but surely. _Thank you, Sexy. Don't worry, I'll smack him in the head for the both of us when we're not about to die._

Upon pressing the last button, I flicked the temporal stabilization switch. The TARDIS ceased being tossed around like a tree in a tornado. I beamed proudly when the grinding noise of the engines filled my ears. Finally, we were landing. Now . . . where was The Doctor?

"Doctor?" I asked, frowning and furrowing my eyebrows together as I peered over the console to where I last saw him.

He popped up from the floor, looking slightly disheveled. He fixed his jacket and then peered over the console at the buttons I had pressed. The Doctor leered at where my hands still rested. "What'd you do?"

I scoffed, "_I _landed the TARDIS. What were you doing?"

He shot me a nasty look, but it faded quickly when his gaze landed on the TARDIS doors. Grinning, he asked me, "My turn or yours?"

A smile broke my stern expression. "Yours, last time I opened the doors we were on the edge of a cliff on Saronoff and I nearly fell to my death. I'll let you take the risk this time, thank you very much."

The Doctor snorted, grabbing my hand when he walked around the console toward the doors. As agreed, he peeked out first, making sure the coast was clear before leading me outside. The Doctor was instantly enamored by our surroundings and skipped off to examine what looked like a glowing set of alien teeth. I, on the other hand, froze in panic.

_Henry Van Statten's museum. So soon? Why? Everything was going so well. I've felt more human than ever since my breakdown, and The Doctor and I have become closer, disregarding his awkward episode. This . . . this is going to ruin _everything_. No matter what I do, The Doctor will still hate me for not telling him about the Dalek._ I bit my lip and watched The Doctor. I needed to get him out of here. Maybe if I asked really nicely he'll let us leave. Or should I use the fear road instead? I'll have to be very careful if I do, one wrong word and he'll want to stay here even more, if just to take care of the monster.

"Doctor . . . ." I called out quietly, allowing my fear and worry to make my voice quiver.

His attention immediately snapped from the artifact he was examining to me. "Dahlia? What's wrong?" he asked, taking long strides until he stood in front of me.

Guilt made my gut turn nauseously. I didn't want to deceive him, but I couldn't let him know about the Dalek . . . . I wrung my hands together and stared at the floor.

"We need to leave," I muttered lowly. Then I looked up at him and added, "Now."

The Doctor frowned, pursing his lips. "Dahlia," he said slowly. My heart sank. "We can't leave. I have to know what's makin' that signal. After we do that, then we can leave. Okay?"

His tone made me feel like an ignorant child. I gnawed on my lip again. How much should I tell him? Nothing about the Dalek, of course, but how do I get across the urgency that I need? Panic and guilt were not the best supporters of rational thought; all I could think about was his upcoming anger. And disappointment. I couldn't take it if The Doctor was disappointed in me. Anger I could take, but I didn't want to be just another ape to him.

"Please, _please_, listen to me, Doctor. We _have_ to leave. We can't be here!" My voice rose in volume at the end. The panic was moving from my gut to my chest. I could feel its spider-like fingers closing in around my lungs. My breath came in shorter bursts.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at me. He knew something was off. Oh God . . . please don't let him notice how bad the situation really is.

"Why not? How bad will it get if we stay?"

_Doctor, for fuck's safe! For once in your goddamn life will you just listen to me?! No. No, you won't, because you have to _know_ everything! God, I hate you sometimes._

I took a deep breath to curb my anger. It would do me no good today. At least the remorse and dread had calmed to only slightly unpleasant levels.

"Very, very bad. Now come on, back to the TARDIS." I gripped his hand, harder than intended, and started toward the ship, but The Doctor didn't budge.

His frown deepened. "Dahlia, just tell me what's so dangerous. I'll fix it, I promise. Just give me some time."

My eyes widened. Time. Was there a time limit to how long we would stay undetected? Or were the guards only triggered by the alarm? Van Statten probably had bugs and security cameras all over the place; it wouldn't be long before we were discovered.

I shook my head and scowled at him over my shoulder. "This isn't something you can fix, Doctor. Let's go," I growled.

Something behind his eyes hardened underneath the worry. It wasn't The Oncoming Storm- not yet- but the resemblance was enough to make me shudder.

The Doctor wrenched his hand from mine and glared at me. He sneered, "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do, Dahlia Tombew. No matter how much you know about me, you still don't know what I am capable of. Now, tell me. What. Is. Wrong."

I shoved the fear into the corner with the guilt; the panic seemed to be staying this time. "I can't. Doctor, we need to—"

He cut me off, "No, we're not goin' anywhere 'til you stop keepin' things from me!" He turned me around so he could plant both his hands on my shoulders, keeping me firming in place.

I swallowed thickly. His eyes glared into mine. We'd been over this. Twice. Would he ever trust me? Probably not. I was suddenly struck by how stupid I'd been to think he'd ever fully trust me. I was from another dimension, sent here to replace a dead girl who should be here blindly following him instead. I knew nearly everything about him. I knew his past, present, and future. The Doctor would never trust someone who could destroy him so easily.

Shoving the irrelevant feeling of betrayal away, I pleaded, "Doctor, please just listen to—"

"No!" he shouted, "Tell. Me. Now!"

I cowered immediately and some resisting part of me gave up. "It's a Dalek!" The words spilled from my lips before I could think and, as soon as I said it, I knew I'd made possibly the worst mistake of my entire life.

The Doctor's eyes blazed with fury as his eyes went black with The Oncoming Storm. Every ounce of worry he had shown earlier evaporated the instant the word Dalek left my mouth.

I stumbled away from him backwards, but his hand shot out and wrapped around my wrist, locking me in his titanium grip. His glare froze me, daring me to attempt any form of escape or explanation.

"A Dalek?" The Doctor growled through gritted teeth. "There's a Dalek here and you didn't _tell_ me?"

I winced when his grip tightened. I could feel the bruise forming. "Doctor, you're hurting me. Please let go."

"No. Not until you tell me why," he snarled.

"I-I couldn't . . . We agreed . . . I'm not supposed to—" I stumbled. What was I supposed to say? I thought we'd settled this ages ago. Apparently The Doctor hadn't been satisfied with the outcome of our arguments.

He sneered again. "That's what I thought." He then started dragging me toward the TARDIS.

My heart skipped a beat in surprise. We were leaving? Okay . . . okay, I can work with this. We'll leave and have another screaming tournament. I'll take the brunt of his anger and deal with it. I'd suffer through anything to get away from this place.

The Doctor paused before opening the TARDIS doors. He looked me up and down once and turned back to the TARIDS to open it, barking, "Should've known you were nothing more than another stupid ape."

_What?_

In my mindset the entire world just fell apart. Another stupid ape? That's how he saw me now? Because I'd done what I was supposed to do? My heart shattered. Tears burned my eyes and slid down my cheeks; I made no move to stop them as I normally would have.

Three words. Three words were all it took for him to break me. Why was I so surprised? It had only taken him six to topple Harriet Jones.

The Doctor paid my silent suffering no mind. He wrenched the TARDIS door open and shoved me inside. I stumbled and nearly fell but caught myself on the railing.

"I'll deal with you later- after I kill the Dalek." And then the door slammed shut.

My brain, still addled with shock, took a few moments to process this, but when it did, I pushed aside whatever feelings I had and rushed to the door. I tried to open it. The door rattled, but didn't open. "Doctor?" I wheezed, panic causing my voices to climb several octaves. "Doctor, open the door! You have to let me out! Doctor!" I banged on the doors until my fists were nearly numb with pain.

Was he even still out there?

I dashed to the console, nearly crashing to the metal grating floor in my rush, and found the monitor linked to the camera outside.

Yes, there he was. He was scowling at the various objects on the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets. I felt a spark of hope. Maybe he wouldn't be able to find his way around . . . . Then The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket. He pressed one button and the alarm sounded. Within seconds, he was surrounded by armed guards and being escorted away.

"No!" I screamed. "No! Doctor! Come back!" Screaming at the screen was pointless, the TARDIS was blocking all communication from inside the TARDIS; The Doctor hadn't even heard me when I attempted to knock the doors down.

_Okay . . . calm down, Dahlia. Think. How do you get out of a locked TARDIS?_

Obviously with the key.

Taking my spade key from around my neck, I went back to the doors and tried it. All I got was another rattling sound.

_Don't panic. Try the sonic._

I slipped the sonic out of my pocket and switched it to the proper setting. The Doctor had been teaching me all the settings. The only ones I had managed to remember were the ones I found most useful, which was about fifteen.

The whirring of the sonic eased my panic. This would work. The sonic always worked. I'd be out of here in a minute or two and then I could go save The Doctor and we'd be out of here—

The door didn't open. The lock didn't even twitch. My heart picked up speed, thudding in my chest. Icy fear shocked my gut and spread through my veins. My breathing became labored.

The sonic hadn't work. Why hadn't it worked? The sonic always worked.

What else could I do?

In a wave of rage, I slammed my entire body against the doors. Not the best plan but I was too frustrated to think. I just needed to get out.

A new anger pulsed through my head, but this was different than the frustration and worry I already felt. This anger wasn't mine.

The lights of the console room pulsed; an angry buzzing filled the room, and then I knew. The TARDIS was angry with me. I could feel her in my mind. She was ranting about how I had hurt her thief. Don't ask how I knew what the buzzing meant. I couldn't explain it if I tried.

"I'm sorry! I know you're angry, but I still regret telling him! How could I bring it up? 'Oh, hey, Doctor, yeah, you know how you sacrificed your entire race to save the universe from the Daleks? Well, there's a problem with that. Ya see there's a Dalek in this guy Van Statten's underground museum. Why didn't I tell you earlier? Well, I believe that if I tell you everything, the universe with implode again'," I ranted to the ship. She probably wasn't listening, but it never hurt to explain yourself.

The doors still didn't open.

Pressing my forehead against the wood, I exhaled heavily through my nose. What else could I do? The key didn't work; the sonic didn't work. The TARDIS was resisting every notion of opening the doors. So what could I try? I couldn't force the doors open in any normal way, so what about an abnormal way?

I shoved away from the doors and ran past the console and through the corridors. My feet converse clad feet clanged along the metal grating.

Why hadn't I thought about it earlier? The laser screwdriver; it was perfect. I could use the setting I'd used on Platform One. Metal the doors open. The TARDIS would repair herself while I rescued The Doctor. I still didn't know how I was going to do that without waking up the Dalek, but I was working on it. I had a few ideas, they just needed flushing out.

Hadn't I gone through here before? Was I going in the right direction? I was going the way I always went. I should've been there by now.

Out the corner of my eye, one of the corridors shifted.

I skidded to a stop. My God . . . the TARDIS was trapping me. I knew she was angry, but not angry enough to do this. She was toying with me. She was the TARDIS, and I was trapped inside her. A rat in a genius, sentient machine. I'd never get out. And The Doctor was trapped as the newest edition to Van Statten's museum. How long had it been now? Ten? Twenty minutes? Maybe thirty? Van Statten knew what The Doctor was by now and was torturing him. Restoring the Dalek was what forced Van Statten to release The Doctor, and with me trapped in here . . . .

I leaned heavily against a wall. There was no point in moving. I couldn't outsmart the TARDIS. I couldn't unlock the doors. I was trapped. The Doctor was a hostage. The TARDIS hated me. End of the line.

_**Go left.**_

I frowned. Who was that? There was no one on the ship except me, and the TARDIS couldn't talk, at least not to me.

_**Go left you stupid girl.**_

I knew that voice. _Koschei?_ I asked hesitantly.

_**Who did you think it was? Your precious Doctor?**_ he sneered. _** Now go left.**_

Pursing my lips, I did as I was told, albeit slowly. How'd he know which way was the right one? And was it really safe it take directions from a voice in my head?

_**Yes, it is. Now move your arse, ape.**_

_You've gotten rude_, I snipped back, taking off down the left corridor.

_**Keep going straight. You'd be rude, too if you were stuck as a voice in a silly human's head.**_

The corridors shifted. _Yeah, what's up with that?_

_**Sharp right. You still have my fob watch. Before I was erased from existence, I managed to seal a fraction of my regenerative energy inside it.**_

I turned right. _Regenerative energy? But you were being erased, not just dying._

He sighed heavily and I could feel his irritation in the back of my mind. _**It was both. When I went to your world- another left- my body started breaking down. When we got back to mine, I was being erased.**_

Narrowly missing a newly grown wall, I dove left. I was almost there, just one more corner. _Why'd you do it, though?_

Koschei scoffed. _** Any half brain could see that you would need help, ape.**_

But I could hear the tone of his voice. He was seeking my approval. He wanted to know I didn't mind having his consciousness roaming around in my head. And he was still guilty. I sighed internally. _Koschei, you shouldn't feel guilty anymore. I know why you did it and I'm not mad at you. Don't know why but I haven't been able to keep a grudge against you . . . and I don't mind having you around. In fact, it'd be better if you spoke up more often. As you can see, The Doctor and I tend to argue more than get along and I could always use your company._

_**One more right**_, he whispered. I could tell he was smiling.

Koschei was correct. I saw my door as soon as I turned the last corner. I grinned, even though I was panting tiredly; get the laser screwdriver, blast the doors open, save The Doctor. Simple plan, easy steps. Nothin' to it.

My gut sunk with a fear I pushed away. The fear was completely rational. The door to my room wouldn't open. The TARDIS had locked it.

"No! Goddammit! TARDIS, open the door!" I screamed, pounding at the door with my fists. Another pointless action. Why, God, why had I gotten into the habit of leaving my bag in my room?

The Doctor was definitely being tortured by now. I remembered what he'd looked like on the show. Reality would be so much worse because it wasn't just actors faking it. The Doctor was really being tortured and there was nothing I could do about it.

"TARDIS, please," I begged, "please, let me leave. The Doctor needs my help! He's being tortured. Van Statten's going to keep him for his collection. So please, _please_ just open the door . . . ."

Brief scrapings of metal; the corridors were shifting again. The TARDIS touched drifted at the edges of my mind. She urged me to move, down the pathway she had just created.

Heaving a sigh of defeat, I did as I was told. My footsteps were heavy and graceless. I walked slowly; there was no point in rushing.

The new corridor led me back to the console room and I almost collapsed on the captain's chair, but the TARDIS urged me forward. I stared blankly at the doors when I stopped at them. My hands twitched anxiously. Part of me was aching to try opening them again but I wasn't sure if I could take another bout of disappointment.

_Get away from the doors before you beat your fists bloody against them._ I started to move away but I stopped at the click of a lock. One of the doors slid open a sliver. A light touch caused it to creak open further. Cautiously, I pushed the door open and peered out. No guards. Though, I didn't really expect them to be there. They thought they'd caught the intruder. No one thought to look for an accomplice.

"Thank you," I whispered to the TARDIS, caressing the wood before dashing to the elevator at the far end of the hall.

What floor was The Doctor being held on, again?

* * *

A voice in the back of my mind that I suspected to be Koschei ordered me to press the button for Level Four, so I did so. After the doors opened I wandered until I found Adam's workshop. The little rat was attempting to put together two separate pieces of technology. Unfortunately for him, one was Drahvin and the other was Slyther. Not to mention the fact that one was a music holder and the other was a food cooker.

Adam didn't hear my approach. I had gotten quite good at sneaking up on people; it helped that I practiced on The Doctor. His super hearing was extremely hard to foil.

"Where's The Doctor?" My question startled Adam; so much that both pieces of technology and the tool he was holding clattered to the ground while he let out a very girly shriek, cowering in his chair with both hand covering his head.

I scowled. "I asked you a question. Don't make me ask again."

He finally turned around. I wasn't too far away, but any farther and I might have missed the glint in his eye. Oh God . . . please don't tell me he's attracted to me. It was annoying enough to have to watch him flirt with Rose; I'd rather not have to endure myself.

"Who are you?" Adam questioned, rising from his seat. He didn't pick up the fallen items, ignoring them in favor of closing the distance between us by a foot. "How'd you get in here?"

I made sure to keep my expression as bitchy and disgusted as I could (it wasn't hard at all). I wasn't here to make friends and I definitely wasn't here to invite Adam along to see the universe. I wanted The Doctor, not this greedy, flirty moron.

"All you need to know is that I'm here with The Doctor and we should've left here half an hour ago," I responded coldly.

My tone didn't seem to dissuade him. In fact, Adam seemed to take my aloof stance as a challenge. Smirking in a way that he probably thought was attractive, Adam said, "Give me your name and I'll tell you where they are."

I eyed him like he was dirt beneath my shoe. Irritation itched beneath my skin. I was going to break his nose if he kept this up. I managed to not show any outward signs of anger; if he knew he was getting to me, it would only spur him on.

Ignoring his subtle demand, I asked, "What floor is The Cage on?"

He was taken aback by my question. He apparently thought I was clueless about this entire place. "How do you know about The Cage?"

I snorted and crossed my arms. "I know a lot about this place. I know this is Van Statten's underground museum in Utah; that Van Statten believes he owns the Internet, which is fuckin' stupid. I know your name is Adam and that you were brought here to catalogue alien scrap that you know absolutely nothing about; you've been told you're a genius but you're not; you currently believe you can seduce me, which you can't because I think you're one of the most irritating people I have ever met. And I know that The Cage holds Van Statten's only living specimen.

I smirked condescendingly. "Now tell me, Adam, where is Van Statten currently torturing The Doctor?"

Adam gaped at me for several seconds, flapping his jaw uselessly up and down as he stumbled for something to say. Finally he cried out indignantly, "I am too a genius!"

I scowled fully, baring my teeth at the fool. "Out of everything I said, you latch onto the comment about your fuckin' IQ? Not the part where I asked you where Van Statten was torturing my friend?"

He ignored me, choosing instead to glare toxically. "I am a genius and I can prove it."

"Oh? Is there a set of toy blocks around here somewhere?" I sneered.

"Then if you're so smart, why don't you prove it?" Adam snarled. He stormed over to where he had been working before and scooped up the previously forgotten technology.

I rolled my eyes. _Ain't nobody got time for this._ "There's nothing to fix. Those are two separate pieces of technology from two very different species. And no, they aren't weapons. Most of the crap you have here if just useless junk that's either broken or requires a few different appendages to operate. Now answer my gorram question!"

The boy's stunned and slightly awed look quickly contorted to fury and envy. He tried to hide the latter but his face was like an open book.

"Your companion isn't being tortured!" he snapped, tossing the scrap onto a worktable.

I stomped toward him. I was sick of playing his games and dealing with his shit. I was finding The Doctor, even if I had to pummel this idiot to get to him.

"Look, asshole," I growled, invading his personal space and trapping him against a table, "you don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you. Where. Is. The. Doctor. I'm not asking again. Next time you ignore the question, I'll break your nose."

"He isn't being tortured, and I'll prove it." Adam gripped my wrist in a bruising grip and led me toward the elevators.

Snatching my wrist back, I barked out, "I can follow just fine. Just make sure you don't get lost, _boy_."

* * *

We entered The Cage. Of course there was no trace of The Doctor or Van Statten, just a bunch of scientists and armored guards.

Adam marched through the lobby-like space outside The Cage. He didn't pause when someone ordered him to stop, just flashed his badge and said, "Level three access; special clearance from Mr. Van Statten."

I stopped before we entered The Cage. "Where do you think you're going?" I demanded.

Adam glared at me over his shoulder, pausing at the entrance to The Cage. "Inside The Cage to show you where The Doctor is," he spat back.

"No, you're not. You all have no idea what that creature actually is, or what it's capable of. You're not setting foot in that cell."

He scoffed, "And I suppose you do?"

"Yes. I also know The Doctor isn't in there. Van Statten took him captive as soon as The Doctor made it known that he knew what species the alien was. And now The Doctor's being tortured because of what he is," I said lowly.

Adam rolled his eyes and continued into The Cage. Scowling, I followed. I wasn't about to trust that idiot not to want to touch the damn thing.

When he got inside Adam gave the room a puzzled look. "Where are they?"

"I highly doubt the room will answer," I mocked.

Giving me another scowl, Adam edged closer to the Dalek.

My skin crawled. Flashes of Daleks blackening the sky of Gallifrey, slaughtering Time Lords by the hundreds, wracked my brain. I didn't feel the fury The Doctor had felt when he saw the Dalek, only a nagging feeling that I should run as far away as possible.

Back in my world, Daleks had never been the most terrifying enemy of The Doctor. The Weeping Angels were always the worst and were quickly followed by The Silence.

I gripped Adam's collar and jerked him back. "Don't go near it."

"Why not?"

"Be-cause," I drawled, "that particular species of alien in exceptionally dangerous. The only reason both of us aren't dead is because it's too weak to do anything."

Adam shoved my hand away. "Since you first strolled in here, all you've done is be rude and order me around. What do you have against me?"

I scowled at him. "Other than you're a greedy, deceptive little bastard who would sell out anyone if it meant getting whatever you wanted? Nothing. Now back away from the alien."

"And what if I don't want to?" he challenged, getting in my personal space.

"Then I'll drag you out of here." I went to grab him by the scruff of his neck again, but he dodged, maneuvering behind me. Before I could do anything, Adam was shoving me with all of his strength toward the Dalek.

_No_, I thought. I flailed helplessly, hoping to crash onto the floor but that wasn't to be. I crashed into the Dalek hands first. My palms landed right on the cold metal of its crown. A light burning sensation spread through my hands; I could feel part of my genetic code being taken from my body and healing the monster beneath me.

Pushing off the creature, I landed on my ass and practically crab walked away as fast as possible. The imprints of my palms glowed bright orange. The eye stalk of the Dalek brightened and it announced: "Genetic material extrapolated- initiate cellular reconstruction!"

The Dalek burst from the chains holding it and started to advance on us.

I leaped to my feet and ran. Adam was already halfway out the door.

"Condition red! Repeat, condition red! This is not a drill!" A voice shouted over the intercom.

The Doctor took over the intercom. "Dahlia, get out of there!"

I spared some breath to talk, "No! I was going to have a nice tea party with the damn thing!"

Adam turned on me, snarling. "This is your fault!"

"Don't blame me, you dumb fuck! You're the one who shoved me into it!" I snapped back. I turned away from him to address everyone in the room. "Fighting the Dalek is pointless! If you stay here all you're doing is giving it something to kill. Run now and you might be able to live."

A soldier cocked his gun and aimed at the door. "Don't worry, ma'am. That door is set with millions of security protocols; it'll never get through."

I gave him a pitying look. "The Dalek can hack billions of protocols in seconds. It'll be out before you know it."

He smiled grimly at me. "Then we'll shoot it until it dies."

I shook my head. "If you insist on staying aim for the eyepiece, that's its only weak spot."

The nameless man nodded and motioned to the other soldiers to aim for the door. They didn't stand a chance.

"Dahlia, I said move!" The Doctor ordered again.

I took off down the hall with Adam tagging along. The female soldier from the show joined us.

"No matter what, even if it's your job to protect us, don't stop running. Your gun won't do a damn thing. The only thing we can do is run," I told her, briefly staring her down before looking forward again.

Diana Goddard came over the intercom this time. "All guards to converge in the Metaltron cage, immediately."

The three of us ran through a security post full of guards. "Civilians! Let them through!" Our soldier shouted.

"I don't want a scratch on its body work! Do you hear me? Do you hear me?!" Van Statten called out through the intercom.

_Van Statten, if the Dalek doesn't kill you, I will._

We came to the stairs and Adam and the soldier stopped. Their naivety infuriated me. Did the simpletons understand when I said to keep running?

"Ha! It's trapped! Stupid pepper shaker!" Adam cackled.

I ignored him, taking hold of the soldier and tugging her up the stairs. "It's not trapped. Daleks can fly."

The soldier looked at me in horror. "What?"

I gritted my teeth and hissed out. "It can fucking fly! What didn't you understand?!"

We were running again just when the Dalek came into our sight.

The soldier attempted to get me to release my grip. "Let go! I can buy you time."

"No way, lady. All you'll do is add another corpse," I replied.

The fear I felt had been overwhelming at first. Now the adrenaline and panic and events taking place cleared my head. I was thinking in rapid jumbles. Everything was going as it did in the show. All I had to do was play my part. And not get killed beforehand. Just another day on the job for Dahlia Tombew.

The Doctor had taken the microphone for the intercom from Van Statten again. Hearing his voice invigorated my muscles to keep moving and not just give out.

"The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home but it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, and the eyepiece. That's the weak spot," he instructed the ignorant soldiers. I knew they wouldn't listen but there was always that slight glimmer of hope that reality would be different.

That particular hope was childish.

The commander shouted "Hold fire!" while our surviving trio ran through the warehouse and past the strategically placed soldiers.

An instinct told me to look back, to watch the Dalek advance. I don't know why, but I obeyed.

My eyes landed on the Dalek and I could feel the connection I had unintentionally created. Even if I couldn't see it, I knew the single eye the Dalek had staring me down, assessing me. Koschei's watch burned in my pocket.

I swallowed in fear. What if it knew? Could the Dalek tell I had part of a Time Lord with me? Or was Koschei's signal too weak to show up on the creature's radar? I didn't care to find out if it did or didn't. I turned around and continued running.

* * *

My phone went off and I struggled to retrieve it from my pocket. The soldier stared at me incredulously. I knew what she was thinking: How could I take a phone call at a time like this?

"Doctor! Hey, yeah, I know what you're thinking of doing and I know you have to do it. We're on Level 49 and running as fast as we can," I panted into the speaker, not giving him time to talk.

"Dahlia, you've got to hurry. I can't keep them open," The Doctor said desperately. "I'm so sorry. I should've listened to you."

I groaned. "You really think this is the best time for that? You can beg for forgiveness later, preferably after I hit you and scream for a long time." We were on Level 46.

The bulkhead ahead was closing. Adam dove through first. I knew he wouldn't wait, but it still lit a fire in my gut. I wish I had punched him when I had the chance.

The soldier was right with me. I could tell from the set of her jaw she knew we wouldn't make it. She could've easily left me behind, but she hadn't. I wanted to cry with gratification. The woman didn't know me, but she wouldn't let me die alone. So I made a choice.

Easing my pace just enough to get directly behind her, I used as much force as I could muster to shove her through the closing doors. I came to a stop scant inches from the metal, jerking my hands away so my fingers wouldn't get caught in the doors.

_Well . . . this seems a bit dramatic. _ I leaned against the bulkhead and started easing my breathing. I lifted my phone to my ear again. "Doctor?"

"Dahlia . . . ." he choked out.

I could picture him in that room with Van Statten. He was hunched over, watching me on the security camera and thinking about how this was all his fault. For once I couldn't find a fault in that reasoning.

"I didn't make it," I finished lowly. I closed my eyes. The Dalek was getting closer; I could feel it.

"Dahlia . . . Dahila, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

I sighed. "Shut up, Doctor. Do you really think that, if I'm going to die, the last thing I want to hear is your apologies? I tried to warn you; you didn't listen. What more is there to say?" I was too weary to be angry with him.

"A lot. There's so much I haven't told you, that I wanted to say but didn't," The Doctor confessed.

"The Dalek's almost here," I muttered. I could hear it now. A few more second and I'd be able to see it.

The Doctor took a deep breath and whispered, "Dahlia, I—"

"Exterminate!" the Dalek shrieked.

I exhaled shakily. "Sorry, Theta, seems like I won't get to hear your confession. Remember to tell Ashley and Jackie what happened to me. And make it sound cool, not too dramatic, though . . . bye." I hung up and stared full on at the Dalek.

"I feel your fear," it croaked.

"Probably."

"Daleks do not fear. Must not fear." It's death ray shot wildly at the walls, floor and ceiling all around me. I flinched away from each beam of light. "You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated!" it demanded hysterically.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. Really, what did one say to a Dalek who was likely to kill them if they so much as twitched wrong?

The Dalek herded me to face the security camera. The Doctor was on the screen below the camera. His face lit up when he saw me.

"Open the bulkhead or Dahlia dies," the Dalek threatened.

In the background, I heard Van Statten ask who I was, what I was doing here, and how had I gotten into the building. All those questions were ignored.

"'Sup, Doc. Guess ya didn't think you'd seem me again, huh?" I teased.

Whatever he wanted to say was cut off by the Dalek. "Open the bulkhead!" It jabbed its death ray into the small of my back, making me shift uncomfortably.

"This is the part where I bravely order you to _not_ do what the murdering Dalek says. Sooooo, I'm not important blah blah blah don't do it blah blah if it gets out, it'll kill everyone etcetera etcetera . . . ." I droned on apathetically.

When the Dalek spoke again, its tone bordered on irritated. "What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?"

The Doctor turned his shocked gaze from me to the Dalek, and then back to me. I closed my eyes and whispered to myself, "He doesn't love you. He doesn't love you. It's just a line. It's not true." But the look on The Doctor's face . . . it was like a secret he'd been keeping hidden for so long had been revealed . . . . Did that count for anything?

"It is true. The Doctor loves you," the Dalek seemed to scoff.

I looked over my shoulder at it. "I highly doubt that. We argue as much as rivals do and he locked me in the TARDIS when we got here because I didn't tell him you were here. I infuriate him."

"The Doctor loves you," it repeated, shoving me forward when the bulkhead opened.

We entered the elevator. I can't tell you how bizarre it is to stand inside a tiny elevator next to a Dalek. The cheesy elevator music was just the bow in the present.

"Why have I not killed you?" the Dalek asked suddenly, spinning its eyestalk around to stare at me. "Why are you still alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?"

"When you absorbed my DNA, it morphed you. It's changing you. I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen," I replied quietly, staring at the ground. "I know you would've preferred to have died as a full Dalek."

* * *

The first thing we saw when the elevator doors opened was Van Statten. He was just . . . standing there . . . doing nothing. Well, okay, he looked like he was about to piss himself but that was it.

The Dalek rolled forward. "Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?" It demanded in a shrieking voice.

Van Statten stumbled backwards and away from the Dalek. He sputtered, "I wanted to help you. I just . . . I don't know. I-I was just trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you . . . I wanted you better, I'm sorry!" His back hit a wall. The Dalek stopped inches from him. "I'm so sorry! I swear! I just wanted you to talk!"

"Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" the Dalek crowed.

Was it wrong that I found that funny?

The Dalek fell silent and turned its eyestalk to me. "You will not stop me?"

Van Statten gave me a pleading look. I shrugged. "Why should I? I don't even like Van Statten! He was torturing my friend a short while ago! He tortured you just to 'hear you speak' for God knows how long. Why shouldn't you kill him? He's a waste of space."

If the Dalek had an eyebrow to raise I'm pretty sure that's what it would've done. "You are different than The Doctor's other companions."

I shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess." I frowned and look at the terrified Van Statten. "I have to ask though . . . is this what you want? To keep killing like that's all there is to you? Because I'll tell you- I don't think he's worth it."

The Dalek seemed to contemplate what I was saying. It whirred around to glance at Van Statten for a second before turning back to me. "I want . . . freedom," it croaked out slowly, almost unsurely.

I managed a small, tired smile. "All right then, let's go."

The Dalek led the way down the corridors to the Level 01 parking garage. I stayed a few paces behind, not wanting to get hit in the head by any rocks when the Dalek blasted the ceiling. Still, I flinched when the death ray shattered the concrete and sunlight streamed through the hole.

Stepping up to stand beside the alien, I basked in the warmth of the sun. I finally smiled a real smile. "You're free. Sorry if it's a bit anticlimactic."

"How . . . does . . . it . . . feel?" I didn't answer. I just watched the metal casing open and reveal the one-eyed creature. The Dalek stretched one of its tentacles out to feel the sun.

Swallowing down my nerves, I timidly reached inside the opening and caressed the Dalek with the back of my fingers. It wasn't as bad as I thought, just really cold and wrinkly, like it was really sick.

"Dahlia, get out of the way, now!" The Doctor shouted.

I was surprised I didn't jump. I hadn't heard him coming. It didn't matter anyways, I didn't move from where I was. All I did was remove my hand from the Dalek and turn halfway to watch The Doctor.

I stared at him lazily, blinking a few times before simply saying, "No."

The Oncoming Storm took over. "That thing killed hundreds of people," he hissed out, not lowering the enormous gun he was carrying.

The raw _hate_ and _animosity_ The Doctor was radiating enticed something in me. Some unexplored corner of my mind was _excited_, _practically giddy_, that he was so furious. I felt the urge to prod at his wounds, mock his anger and tease him into firing the gun. A snarky line welled up in my throat and I almost said it, but at the last moment I did the smart thing. "He's not the one pointing the gun at me."

The Doctor shook his head and said with a wavering voice, "I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left."

"Just look at it, Doctor," I said, stepping to the side so The Doctor could watch the Dalek warm itself in the sunlight.

His eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What's it doing?"

"It wanted the sunlight. Freedom. That's all," I said plainly.

"But it can't . . . ."

I didn't want to say the next line. Every time I heard it on the show, I felt sick to my stomach, especially with the way Rose had spat it. Gut heavy with guilt, I locked eyes with The Doctor. "It couldn't kill Van Statten. It couldn't kill me. It's changing. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?"

The Doctor's arms went limp; the gun no longer pointed at me and the Dalek, but at the floor. He looked so sad and lost. "I couldn't . . . I wasn't . . . Oh, Dahlia . . . they're all dead," he choked out.

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek wheezed.

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know."

"I am the last of the Daleks."

The words were spoken to slowly. It was dying, even with my DNA helping it regenerate.

The Doctor managed a pathetic chuckle. "You're not even that. Dahlia did more than regenerate you. You absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Into what?"

"Something new," The Doctor replied. "I'm sorry."

"I can feel. So many ideas. So much darkness . . . Dahlia . . . give me orders! Order me to die. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction! Obey! Obey! Obey!" the Dalek screamed, glaring at me with its single gleaming eye.

I swallowed another wad of spit and looked at the Dalek. My pulse pounded in my ears. I was going to do it. Granted, it wanted to die, but that wasn't the point.

Before I could change my mind, I nodded rapidly.

"Are you frightened, Dahlia?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"So am I," it rumbled back. "Exterminate."

I moved away from the Dalek while it replaced the metal armor surrounding its body. The entire Dalek hovered in the air several feet; the metal spheres disconnected from the body and formed a perfect circle around the Dalek. After glowing brightly for several seconds, the Dalek exploded. Any other evidence vanished into thin air.

Feeling numb and empty, I turned away from the scene of the Dalek's death and walked past The Doctor with my eyes to the floor. There really was nothing to say.

* * *

The Doctor said nothing on our trek back to the TARDIS. Behind us, Adam tried to keep up. He was going on about the place being filled with concrete like we didn't know.

I wish the pest would drop dead.

When we approached the TARDIS, I paused at the doors and spun on my heel to face the two following males. The Doctor stopped a foot form me; Adam stumbled in a few feet after him.

I barely spared either of them a glance. "He's not coming with us. Get rid of him," I ordered stonily, entering the TARDIS right after and slamming the door behind me.

I made my way through the hallways to my room. The door wasn't locked this time.

I took off my jacket and neatly folded it over the back of my desk chair. I slipped off my shoes without unlacing them. Silently, I settled on my bed with my hands resting on my stomach. My fingers were laced together. I waited for The Doctor.

I didn't have to wait long. Not five minutes later I could hear his footsteps making their way to my door. He stopped uncertainly at my door. He knocked and murmured, "Dahlia?"

"Yes, Doctor?" I sighed heavily.

"May I come in?"

I closed my eyes. "I suppose."

The door creaked open and The Doctor stepped nervously into my room. I could tell he was observing everything. He was rarely allowed in here; I preferred my privacy.

"Dahlia?" he asked again, quieter than before.

I opened my eyes a sliver. "I'm not asleep. Just waiting for you to start talking."

"You're angry," The Doctor stated sadly.

I sighed again. "Not angry, just tired and upset."

After a few moments of silence, The Doctor said, "I'm sorry."

"I know."

"No, you don't. If I had just listened to you, then we could've left and those people wouldn't have died. The Dalek would've eventually died on its own. If I had given you a chance to explain . . . if I just _listened_ for once in my damn life . . . ."

"Doctor, is this going to happen again?" I asked suddenly, interrupting his self-deprecating tirade.

"What?" He frowned.

"Is this going to happen again? This whole you not trusting me and getting pissed off even though we've went over this _twice_. I'm sick of arguing with you over the same thing. If you need someone else, someone who doesn't know the future, let me know and we'll find her, and then I'll be on my merry way." I watched him collapse into a chair. My words had obviously stung him, but I wouldn't allow myself to feel guilty. We needed to settled this now or suffer the consequences later.

"I don't need someone else, nor do I want someone to take your place," The Doctor finally said. "I want you, here, with me, traveling through all of time and space."

"Is that really what you want? Because next time you don't listen to me, I'm going to knock you unconscious."

"Yes. I don't want anyone else, Dahlia, only you. Please understand that I don't mean to get angry when you can't explain something. I know you have responsibilities."

I opened my eyes fully and stared at him. "Doctor, if this is going to work out, you have to trust me. No other way will work."

"I trust you," he said without hesitation. "It's me I don't trust."

Shoving myself into a sitting position, I crossed my legs and gave him a soft smile. "Doctor, all you have to do is act the way you normally would. No sudden tricks or new ways of thinking. Just you and your Time Lord brain."

He grinned at me. "Right. So . . . are we good? Everything all right now? I'll listen to you and you won't leave me with some naïve twat some random day?"

I laughed. "No, Doctor, I won't be running off any time soon. Promise."

* * *

**Another chapter down. The next one will be an original adventure, not The Long Game. You all will be very happy with that chapter. I can practically her the squeals of happiness. xD**


	14. Never Visiting Tron Again

**CHAPTER?! Y U NO LET ME FINISH YOU FASTER?! Sorry. I needed to vent. I apologize for this tasking so long. I didn't mean it to, honest. It just . . . sort of . . . happened.**

**Also a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorite recently and in the past. Every time I get an e-mail about any of those things I feel so much better, no matter what.**

* * *

"So," I asked when we landed, "where are we now?"

The Doctor grinned in answer and strolled to the doors. He leaned against them and crossed his arms. "Guess," he challenged, smirking.

Facing The Doctor, I braced my hand son the console and leaned against it. I pretended to think. "Is it a space station floating above Earth in the distant future of the Great and Bountiful Human Empire?"

He chuckled. "Nope, but good guess, maybe we'll go there next." He spun around and flung open the doors. "No- this is the planet Tron! Not to be confused with the syfy movie Tron (At least not for a few hundred years). Forty percent jungle, sixty percent water, eighteen percent swamp and home to the hoosliv species."

I frowned as I did the math. _118 percent? So much for Time Lord intelligence._

Peeling my jacket off, I left it hanging over the railing. The air rolling inside the TARDIS through the doors was almost too hot for my pale blue halter top, let alone a jacket. I didn't see how The Doctor could survive the heat.

_Maybe it's a Time Lord thing . . . ._

The Doctor intertwined his fingers with mine when I got to his side. He led me outside and I gasped in surprise.

We were surrounded by a jungle in the richest shades of green. A blue, actually blue, waterfall fell into a lagoon nearly thirty feet in front of us. Multi-colored flowers hung from coiled, stick thin vines of orange.

An inhalation of breath rewarded me with one of the sweetest scents in existence.

"Doctor . . . ." I whispered in shock. I don't know what I expected but this wasn't it.

His thumb caringly stroked the back of my hand. The Doctor pulled me closer to his side and leaned down, nuzzling my cheek.

The setting, how he was acting . . . it was like a scene from a romance novel. I was even reacting like the swooning girl described in their pages. Shortness of breath, pounding heart, fluttering eyelashes, blushing cheeks, heat coiling in my pelvis, weak knees . . . the list went on and on. Thing was, I wasn't too upset about it.

The Doctor gave me an Eskimo kiss. His eyes were closed and he was smiling gently. This was the most peaceful I had ever seen him.

I could feel his breath on my lips and smell his scent of leather, cinnamon, and honey. He was close enough to kiss.

Every nerve ending was electrified. My arousal was becoming painful.

_What's going on? Why are we here? Is that all he's going to do? Is he waiting for me to give some sort of signal?_

"Bet you're wonderin' what I'm gonna do next," The Doctor mumbled clearly.

I swallowed nervously. "Maybe. Are you reading my mind?"

The Doctor chuckled. His eyes slit open to leer at me. "No, but I can tell. You're nervous. Don't be. I won't do anythin' you don't want me to." He paused to think. "Well, other than what I'm gonna do next."

I chewed on my bottom lip. "And what're you gonna do?"

He grinned. "This." And then he kissed me.

Though the reality of The Doctor kissing me still left me as dazed as the first time it happened, I made sure to respond this time.

It was a closed mouth kiss. Neither of us felt the need to use our tongues. (That's bullshit. But I think it would be rude of me to shove my tongue down his throat during our second kiss.) The kiss was fierce and languid at the same time, both of us using as much passion as the other but not attempting to dominate or overpower. This wasn't a battle of egos; it was a dance between equals.

My free arm wrapped around The Doctor's neck to lower him to my level even though I was standing on my toes. His free hand was cupping my jaw, ever so slightly tilting my head for a better angle to slant his mouth against mine.

The Doctor didn't nip my lips with his teeth this time. I nipped at his before he got a chance. I felt his shiver of pleasure when I did it.

I thought about using tongue but, instead I was forced to break away for air.

The Doctor kissed my cheek, rumbling in my ear, "Thought that was the perfect moment to cash in my second bribe."

* * *

The Doctor and I sat by the lagoon, occasionally dipping our fingers in the water. We hadn't discussed the kiss or The Doctor's excuse of using his second bribe. I wasn't sure I believed him on that. We were still holding hands.

"Doctor," I started, "why did you bring me here?"

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "As an apology, for how much of an arse I've been to you, and I'm not just talkin' 'bout what happened with Van Statten. I mean all of it."

I smiled to myself.

He huffed. "Soooooo . . . you enjoyin' yourself so far?"

I smirked at him. "Oh yeah. I especially liked the part right after we got out of the TARDIS."

"Really?" He smirked back. "I hadn't noticed."

"There were no clues?"

The Doctor leaned toward me with a playful grin and gleaming eyes. "There might've been. I was too busy payin' attention to the blushing and fluttering eyelashes and little sounds you were makin'."

My cheeks heated up. I hadn't realized I had been making sounds.

"Nice to know you enjoyed it," The Doctor commented, leaning closer.

Despite the burning of my cheeks, I managed to give him a coy smile. "Bet it did wonders for your ego."

He hummed approvingly. We were in the perfect position to kiss again and my stomach lurched in anticipation. "That among other things," The Doctor muttered.

War drums sounded from the surrounding forest. A resonating shriek peeled through the air and sent a shock of cold fear to my gut.

The Doctor and I jerked apart and faced the direction the scream had come from.

"Doctor," I whispered, huddling close to him.

He pressed his lips into a thin line. Squeezing my hand, he said, "I won't let it hurt you."

My fear was soothed, if only by a bit. While I didn't enjoy using The Doctor as a shield or a crutch, knowing that he would be there to help if I was in trouble was comforting.

The drums continued their pounding as they closed in on our position. The shrubbery and leaves on the trees rustled noisily. If I tilted my head the right way I could hear the thud of heavy footsteps.

My eyes caught the shimmer of black orbs. An alien stalked out of the foliage. A large spear was clutched in on of its hands. Others of the same species of alien emerged from the forest; most handled the same type of spear as the first, but others had bows and arrows and smaller knives. The war drums thundered on.

With a wave of one of its four hands, the first alien silenced the drummers. It stared at The Doctor and me impassively.

"You will come with us," it said.

* * *

"They're the hoosliv," The Doctor muttered to me as we were escorted through the jungle by the aliens.

Hoosliv were all around eight feet tall, varying shades of dark green, and all had black eyes with nearly invisible green irises. Each one was muscled in a lean way with backwards knees and four arms. I suspected they were all male but Koschei was quick to shoot that theory down.

_**The warriors of the hoosliv are genderless. They're like that from birth and have all the strengths of both sexes but the weakness of neither.**_ He'd informed me.

_Fantastic_, I thought sarcastically.

The trees finally began to thin out and we were soon walking down a well trekked road out of the forest and entering a city built out of grey wood. Hooslivs strolled around, men and women, going about their business but they stopped to stare at our procession making its way through the streets.

The warriors led The Doctor and me to the palace at the center of the city. The large, heavy doors swung open and we were greeted by a large and extravagantly decorated throne room. We walked until stopping several feet from the colossal throne where a hoosliv (male, from what I could tell) sat.

"Kneel before King Kraith!" the lead warrior ordered us, forcing The Doctor and me to our knees and bowing our heads for us.

I could feel King Kraith's glare. "What are these strangers doing in my palace?"

"They were found trespassing, sire."

I gulped. Somehow I didn't think Kraith would be lenient in punishing us. We needed a plan. A glance at The Doctor told me he didn't have one. Maybe I could think of one?

"Kill them," King Kraith ordered leisurely.

Panicking, I sneered at The Doctor and spat out the first thing I could. "Oh, you stupid man!"

Everyone's attention snapped to me. The Doctor gaped at me in horror. Eyes wide and pleading with him to play along, I snapped at him, "This is what I get for not listening to my mother! She said 'Don't go off with him! All he'll do is get you into trouble!' But I said no and went with you anyway, now look where we are!"

The Doctor seemed to catch on. He bared his teeth and growled, "Oh, shut it, woman! Like I wanted you to come along with all your naggin'!"

"Don't you dare turn this one me!" I snarled back. "Every time! This happens every time we go somewhere! For once, can't you just take responsibility—"

"Enough!" Kraith shouted, standing from his throne.

The Doctor and I cringed but made sure not to drop our pissed off attitudes.

"What is the meaning of your sudden fury, woman?" Kraith demanded, narrowing his eyes at me.

I summoned all of my ire and spat, "My husband. We haven't been married for a year and all he does is get us into trouble!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh here we go again with the ranting."

"Shut up!" I hissed furiously.

King Kraith ordered thunderously, "Quiet."

We stopped arguing and faced the king. Kraith observed me silently.

"You wish to not be . . . attached to this man anymore?" he asked me, leaning forward and bracing his arms on his legs.

Scowling, I nodded.

"Would you adhere to marrying me instead?"

I gaped. What? I mean . . . what the hell? Did aliens just ask that? Did they really just ask random people to marry them? Then again, he was the king. He probably believed he had the right to do whatever he wanted.

"Pardon me, but _are you serious_?" I asked incredulously.

King Kraith settled back in his throne. For a second, I thought I had secured both mine and The Doctor's death by insulting the only person who could pardon us. Then the king nodded.

"I am serious," he responded smoothly. "My last queen is recently deceased and I have yet chosen her successor. Now I can call off the search."

I thought about it for a moment. If I agree to marry King Kraith, he'd let The Doctor go, and then I'd be rescued within minutes.

Raising my head, I put on my most charming smile and looked King Kraith in the eye. "I'll marry you."

To my right, The Doctor went rigid. Hopefully, he'd run back to the TARDIS. The sooner we left this planet the better.

Kraith grinned victoriously. "Excellent. I'll show you to your rooms." He stood. "Guards, kill the man."

"What? No!" I shouted in panic. They were supposed to let him go!

Every living being in the throne room stared at me suspiciously. King Kraith's glare was especially venomous.

"Why not? He is of no use to anyone here."

I forced myself to relax. Putting on an air of aloofness and irritation, I easily lied, "Unfortunately, he is. See, our race is mildly telepathic and, upon marriage, our minds are bonded together. To put it simply, if you kill him, you kill me."

Kraith frowned. "Is there a way to reverse this? I will not marry a bound woman.'

A thinly veiled threat laced his tone.

I scoffed, "Of course there is. The only problem is that it's a long process, but that's all right since it'll give you time to prepare the grounds for the wedding ceremony."

Kraith seemed less suspicious, but he continued to ask questions. "Why would the preparation take so long?"

"Weddings on our home world are a rare feature. When one is arranged, it's a town wide event. There's also the problem with the energy of the city." I was so thankful I had a wild imagination. Without it, we'd be dead right now.

"Energy of the city?"

I wrinkled my nose, as if smelling something bad. "Yes. Your guards patrol every street, blocking the flow of energy in and out of the city. It's messing with my psychic field."

The Doctor was scowling openly at me. No doubt he thought no plan was better than my plan.

"Why is this important?" Kraith asked.

Feeling bold, I stood. "It's important because the interference isn't allowing my abilities to work at their full potential. Without the full flow, it could take months to sever the mental connection with my . . . _spouse_." I sneered the last word distastefully.

Again, Kraith thought for several long moments. He then nodded. "Follow me, future queen. Guards, bring him."

The Doctor was hauled to his feet by the guards. He didn't look at me, keeping his glare stuck on the floor. King Kraith offered me his lowest arm. I took it with only a second's hesitation; his green skin look odd again my pale flesh. Soon we were gliding up a set of stairs at the far left side of the throne room and through several wide corridors.

"While we walk, explain the separation process to me," Kraith subtly ordered.

I didn't hesitate to speak this time. I had pieced together the parts of my (at first) sketchy plan. The Doctor and I could escape and King Kraith would unwittingly help us do so.

"First, my spouse and I will need to be locked in a room together," I explained coldly. "Only the guards will be allowed to bring us food, clothing, and other necessities."

Kraith's response was immediate. "Why?"

"Being trapped together is a sort of punishment and it, along with being tended to by the genderless, removes distractions, interferences, or _temptations_ while the couple separates themselves from one another." Deciding Kraith needed a bit more convincing that I really did want to marry him; I stroked his arm and smiled coyly up at him when I mentioned temptations.

It did the trick. Kraith returned the smirk and relaxed, pulling me closer to him.

"Second, the separation process will take at least two weeks. Any unexpected visits from anyone other than the guards will add between three days to a week of more time." I paused to scrunch my face in annoyance. King Kraith smelt like mold and wet rust. "Sorry, but I can't explain the correlation between outsiders and the separation more clearly. I'm not an expert in the study of psychic links."

My apology was waved off. "Do not apologize. As long as the separation is completed, I don't care to know the logistics."

I slumped in relief. Thank God I didn't have to bullshit my way through that minefield.

Clearing my throat, I continued, "Third, I'll need a map of the city so I can reorganize the guards."

"How will they be reorganized?"

I stroked his arm soothingly. "I'll just need to open four streets until the separation is complete. Everything will go back to normal afterwards."

Kraith nodded. "Then I shall have one of the guards deliver a map as soon as possible. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Sighing heavily, I spare a glance back at The Doctor. He still wasn't looking at me. He didn't even glance up when I called out mentally. Hopefully he wasn't too upset with my plan.

"I suppose I should tell you that my husband cannot be mistreated during the separation. Our comforts must be equal," I added tiredly. "The more comfortable we are, the easier the separation will be."

Kraith hummed. "Yes . . . we haven't discussed your husband. Won't he resist the separation? Once you are free of him, he will be executed."

I smirked confidently despite the roiling of fear and disgust in my gut. "He can try, but I'm much more talented in matters of the mind than he is."

If possible, Kraith seemed even more pleased than he had been. I guess I was better at flattery than I thought I was.

Our party finally stopped in front of a large pair of ornate double doors.

"This is where you and your spouse will be staying. Normally the future queen would be placed closer to my rooms but, seeing as I must resist the temptation of visiting you, you'll be placed in the most secluded wing of the palace. Few need to pass through these parts and only the guards and I shall know which room you two reside in," Kraith told me. He lightly shoved the doors open with his main set of arms.

The room was spacious enough to fit two living rooms inside. Half the room's interior was comprised of expertly crafted wooden furniture accented with shimmering glass or precious metals. Colorful silks draped from the walls and crisscrossed the ceiling, sometimes draped from it. The other half held a king sized bed that hung from the ceiling with thick, coiled vines.

Kraith motioned to the two doors spaced from the suspended bed. "One is a wardrobe. Clothes will be dropped off, along with food and a map, as soon as I can arrange it. The other is a bathing room." He stepped away from the double doors. My arm was released from the crook of his elbow.

Blinking his slanted eyes, the king bowed deeply to me. "I shall leave you to your work, my queen-to-be."

I felt silly bowing back. "Thank you, my lord. Hopefully this process will be quick." Then I strolled as gracefully as possible into the guest room.

The Doctor stumbled in after me 9most likely pushed0, and the doors were closed.

Sagging in exhaustion after the door locked, I hurried over to The Doctor to look him over for any wounds. I hadn't seen the guards injure him but King Kraith and I had walked in front of them the entire time through the hallways. I had gotten us this far; I wasn't about to start taking chances.

"Doctor, are you alright?" I asked, lightly running my fingers over his arms and chest. He flinched away from my touch. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," he answered coldly. The Doctor shifted away from me and crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

Hurt stung in my chest. My arms fell to my sides.

"So," he sneered, "does your 'plan' go beyond no dying into, you know, escaping?"

At his mocking tone my hackles raised. Standing tall, I shared The Doctor down and spit out a firm yes.

He motion for me to go on.

Scowling, I obliged. "Once I get a map, I'll clear the guards from four streets. After that, all that's left is to get out of this room and onto one of the streets and then we're out."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's it? How are we goin' to get outta this room? We're _locked _in."

I rolled my eyes. "There's more than one way out of here, Doctor." I pointed to a pair of orange curtains in the living room half of the guest room.

The Doctor blinked dumbly, mumbling, "Ah." He'd finally noticed the sliver of light filtering through the closed fabric.

I walked over to the curtains and wrenched them apart. And frowned. The window didn't go to the floor like I expected but it was big enough for both The Doctor and me to fit through and not too far ff the ground. The only problem was finding a place to tie off whatever we used as a makeshift rope. Most of the furniture was too light to hold my weight, let alone The Doctor's. But that could wait. For now those silks decorating the room were looking very useful right now.

"How far down do you think the drop is?" I asked The Doctor, stripping one of the silks from the wall to measure it.

"From one hundred seventy-six feet to one hundred eighty-three," he noted off handedly. He was leaning halfway out the window to observe the city.

"Fourteen feet," I mumbled to myself, twisting the pale green silk between my hands to test its strength. The cloth wasn't actually silk; it wasn't smooth enough, but it was the only word I could find for the fabric.

"We'll need at least fourteen to get to the ground safely," The Doctor tossed out. He took the cloth from me, caressing it with his calloused hands. "Hurnyl- strong, not too slippery, lightweight, many purposes; not my first choice as impromptu rope but it'll have to do."

The room had gotten darker. I looked out the widow to see the sun setting. How was that possible? A short while ago the sun was high in the sky.

The Doctor noticed my confusion. "Days here go by twice as fast as they do on Earth."

So that's what it was. Guess that wasn't weird, in retrospect. Planets having different orbits and all. Only natural that some have longer days and others have shorter . . . . _Wait . . . did he say twice as fast? Meaning one of their days is half the length of one of Earth's?_

"Fuck my life," I growled, gritting my teeth so hard they creaked. "I thought we had more time than that."

The Doctor snorted. "Well, we don't, so what do we do?"

I sighed and squeezed the bridge of my nose. The sun had nearly set, and it seemed like King Kraith wasn't sending any guards to visit us tonight. There wasn't anything we _could_ do. Except sleep.

"Let's just get some rest," I muttered. "God knows we both need it after today." I shuffled over to the closet, hoping there were at least some night clothes stuffed in there.

I was lucky. Though they seemed outdated, there were several variations or clothing stuffed in the closet.

As tempted as I was to take an old shirt and pants, an impish part of my mind chose a short, flimsy night gown. I swiftly hid my find in my arms by bundling it up as tightly as possible against my chest.

"Do you want the bathroom first?" A brief fantasy of The Doctor suggesting we wash at the same time flitted into my mind before I could shove it away.

The Doctor grumbled. "Sure." He shrugged out of his leather jacket and laid it across a chair, slipping his boots and socks off as well.

I expected him to rummage through the closet for clothing to sleep in but The Doctor merely passed it and continued to the bathroom.

Running water sounded from the bathroom seconds later.

_I wonder if he'll be in there long enough for me to burn off some frustration_. My hand toyed along the waistband of my pants. It wouldn't take long for me to get off; The Doctor had me worked up and horny already. All I needed was a few select touches . . . .

The water shut off. I could hear splashes that signaled The Doctor was climbing into the tub.

Five minutes, five minutes is all I need, I thought desperately. Giving into temptation, I hurriedly clambered onto the bed, settling on my stomach. Undoing my button and zipper, I shoved my hand into my pants until it connected with my wet folds.

I hissed at the contact. I was almost too sensitive, but I could work with this.

Slowly, I used a finger to circle my clit. A breathy whimper escaped me at the touch. I wouldn't even need my other hand; I could get off on those small touches alone.

I worked my clit faster. My hips jerked against the mattress. My breath came out in soft pants. Heat and arousal were quickly pooling in my lower abdomen. Twinges of pleasure made my legs straighten to points. God, I was _so close_.

Pleasure pulsed through my entire body when I orgasmed.

I basked in the afterglow of my orgasm. I could've fallen asleep in that position- I already felt drowsy (good orgasms do that to you) - but fabric rustling interrupted my daze.

_Shit. I forgot he was there_. I quickly redid my pants and maneuvered into a casual position. Masturbating to a fantasy of my nine hundred year old alien friend? Me? I would _never_.

The bathroom door creaked open. Heat rolled over me.

Pretending to not be the least bit guilty or ashamed wasn't as easy as I had hoped it would be.

Swallowing thickly, I looked over to the now open door. In another attempt at casualness, I said airily, "Wow, you weren't in there for an hour? I'm amazed." I got the words out just in time, because as soon as I caught sight of The Doctor, I choked on my own spit.

He was wearing nothing but a pair of black, slim fitting boxer shorts. I could still see the moisture slicking his body from his bath. I couldn't rip my stare away from his muscles as they rippled under his skin every time he made the smallest move.

_God_, I pleaded, _I'm not sure if this is a punishment or a reward, so I'm not sure if I should thank you or scream as many obscenities at you as I possibly can. Please don't hold that against me._ I could practically hear the disembodied laugh.

Oh wait, that was real. Koschei was letting out this wheezy sort of cackle in the back of my mind.

"Well, some of us don't like to turn ourselves into prunes."

What? Oh, The Doctor was talking. _Okay . . . stop ogling him! . . . He's gonna notice! . . . Seriously, stop . . . like right now . . . oh, forget it . . . ._

Can anyone really blame me for staring? The only time I'd seen this regeneration anywhere near this level of undress was in the episode Dalek, and even then he was being tortured. Kinda hard to appreciate the view when the one you're drooling over is screaming in pain.

If I thought he was sexy then, he looked like a god now.

"I'm hoping you didn't use all the hot water, though I might take a cold one with how humid this planet is." I was glad The Doctor was toweling his head off. He was so busy with the task that he wasn't paying me any mind.

"Mm-hm," he acknowledged, moving toward one of the coaches.

Was he still angry? What did he have to be angry about anyway? My plan might be a little unorthodox but his plans were never exactly foolproof either, they were his plans after all.

_Deal with The Doctor's mood swings later. First- a bath._

The bathroom was still covered in a fine sheen of moisture from The Doctor's bath, but the hot tub sized in ground tub was completely drained. Several extra large towels were stacked on a wicker shelf on the farthest side of the room, only slightly rumpled from The Doctor's rummaging.

I twisted the faucet on; testing the water to make sure it was to my liking. To keep the now wrinkled nightgown from getting wet, I placed it beside the towels and got undressed, folding my clothes neatly and placing them on another shelf.

It turns out a hot bath was what I needed. While I still felt slightly guilty over using The Doctor as substance for my fantasies, the shame was gone. Now that my head was clear, I really didn't have a reason to be ashamed, did I? I mean, with all the companions The Doctor has had, most of them have had feeling for him. _They probably did the exact same thing I did. Besides, it's innocent. Nothing will come of it. It's just a way of relieving tension so I don't jump The Doctor and make a fool out of myself._

Having thoroughly explained my actions to myself, I finally relaxed in the nearly scalding water.

* * *

I was having second thoughts about the nightgown. _ I could just tell him to toss in a shirt and pants. He'd believe me if I told him this has a hole in it_, I thought, biting my lip. _No_, I resolved, tugging the dainty thing over my head, _I am not a coward._

I kept a towel on my head for the purpose of both drying my hair and giving me something to fiddle with. The oversized towels were too large to stay on my head properly.

Thankfully The Doctor wasn't in my direct field of vision when I left the bathroom. He was doing something over by the couches.

_What the—?_ "Doctor," I frowned, "what're you doing?"

He had pulled one of the covers off the bed and over to a couch. He seemed to have arranged it and some pillows into a makeshift bed.

"I guessed I would be sleepin' over here," he snorted. "Unless you were plannin' on takin' the couch?"

My cheeks heated up but I fought down the blush. "I thought we were going to share the bed. It's big enough for more than four people so there's plenty of room."

The Doctor stopped what he was doing. "Are you sure?" he asked tentatively.

I shrugged even though he couldn't see. "Sure, as long as you don't, you know, kick me off the bed or steal the covers."

He snorted and looked over his shoulder at me. I'm sure I saw his eyes roam over my body. "I'm fine with it- as long as you don't grope people in your sleep."

I nearly snapped at him, but then I saw the glint in his eye. The bastard was teasing me.

Smirking, I shot back, "Like you wouldn't enjoy it if I did."

Watching The Doctor's cheeks turn a deep shade of pink gave me an empowering sense of victory.

I tossed the towel away. My hair was still wet but the towel wasn't helping anymore. No point in bothering myself to hold onto it.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Slob."

"Oh please," I snorted and crawled onto the bed. It swung gently back and forth with the disturbance. "Like you're any better. I've seen you completely trash rooms while looking for a _pencil_."

The Doctor just muttered under his breath.

"Well, you can join me if you want to," I yawned. "I promise not to violate you in your sleep."

The Doctor huffed, "Seems I don't have a choice." He walked back to the bed, carrying a lantern I hadn't noticed and set it on the bedside table.

He carefully climbed onto the bed beside me but his movements still rocked us back and forth.

Swing beds, why'd it have to be swinging beds?" The Doctor grumbled. "Damn things're almost as bad as water beds."

I giggled at his frustrated shifting. The Doctor kept tossing and turning because he couldn't get comfortable while the bed was moving and the bed kept swinging because he wouldn't stop shifting.

After the hundredth shift my amusement ran out. Sighing, I flipped over to face The Doctor. His back was to me and he was still squirming uncomfortably.

I reached out and laid a hand flat across his bare shoulder. My stomach lurched pleasantly at the contact. He was so warm. I just wanted to cuddle up to him, but I didn't. That would probably make everything even more awkward between us with the recent kiss and his annoyance over my plan . . . .

"Just keep still," I whispered to him. He had frozen when I placed my hand on his shoulder. I didn't know if he was just shocked that I had touched him or he was actually following my order.

The room was enveloped in silence. The only sounds were the foreign animals outside, the creaking of the woven vines holding the bed up, and our breathing. When the bed finally stopped moving, I cautiously leaned over The Doctor. He seemed to stop breathing while I reached over to his sonic screwdriver lying beside the lantern. I drowsily flipped it to the correct setting and pointed it to the lit lantern.

"Do you want this on?" I murmured to The Doctor. I was tempted to fall asleep right where I was, draped over his half naked form with my breasts sandwiched against his comfortably warm side.

"No," he replied just as quietly.

"Mmkay," I sighed, using the sonic to extinguish the flame. The sonic was placed back on the table and I scooched back over to my (cold) side of the bed. "G'night, Doctor."

"Goodnight, Dahlia."

* * *

**[Author Note: You guys. Seriously, you guys. The morning scene was supposed to be an awkward interaction that only lasted about a page and a half. How the hell did it end up being this erotic spawn of six pages? How? How do these things happen?]**

The next morning found me sprawled out on my stomach in the center of the bed, clutching an immense pillow to me. A cozy weight rested around the small of my back. Sunbeams managed to nail me right in the eyes, causing me to squirm against my pillow and bury my face in its smooth, feverish surface.

_Smooth?_ My sleep-addled brain fought to discover the problem. _Pillows weren't smooth . . . and they weren't warm or . . . breathing . . . ._

Groaning in frustration, I huffed and pouted. I didn't want to open my eyes and investigate. I just wanted to sleep. It had been so long since I'd gotten that good of a night's rest. There hadn't been any nightmares; not one whiff of blood or ash, not a single scream of terror or exterminate. Oh yeah last night had been the best sleep I'd gotten in months.

Finally deciding I'd procrastinated enough, I slowly blinked my eyes open. Blurry images took a few seconds to settle and clear but ultimately revealed their secrets.

_Well_, I thought slowly, barely managing to process the new information, _that was not entirely unexpected_.

_**So you normally cuddle random people in your sleep? That definitely doesn't scream clingy**_, Koschei snickered.

I groaned. _Go away, Koschei, it's too early for me to deal with your shit. Call back in a few hours. You know, when I'm not using The Doctor as an oversized body pillow._

The Time Lord ghost-imprint-afterimage-thing chuckled lowly in my ear one more time before leaving me in peace.

_Really though, Dahlia, you should've known this would happen_, I thought, collapsing back onto The Doctor's well toned chest. It was true. I did have a tendency to curl up with anything and everyone I ever shared a bed with. I had no idea why, it just happened. Now I was splayed out on top of my very attractive, almost naked Time Lord friend who I definitely had more-than-crush-but-not-yet-love feelings for. Great. What a perfect way to start a day. Not to mention said Time Lord's arms were wrapped around my waist, keeping me in place on top of him.

With all the thinking I had done my mind was now almost fully awake. And with that awareness came embarrassment, blushing, and the worst, arousal.

My cheeks burned as my groin throbbed pleasantly. What the hell was wrong with me? Couldn't I control myself for once? Was there some sort of weird aphrodisiac in this planet's air that The Doctor forgot to tell me about? As likely as that sounded, the most probable cause of my seemingly constant arousal was my own attraction to The Doctor.

Which was also why I needed to get as far away from him as possible before I did something we'd both regret.

I attempted to remove The Doctor's arms but they wouldn't budge. I knew he was stronger than humans but I hadn't thought he'd be this strong in his sleep. Next I tried poking him in the side. It was a crude technique but hey, it always seemed to work for other people. My luck seemed to be on the opposite side of the tracks today because all The Doctor did was mutter something unintelligible under his breath and stretch a few muscles.

_Maybe, I can . . . ._ I flattened my body out against his, inhaling sharply when my cheek rests against his clavicle. His mouth was so close . . . No! Need to escape before he wakes up or he'll ignore me the rest of the day.

I slowly loosened his tight grip around my waist. It wasn't loose enough for me to break but I might be able to slip out from under it.

Squirming, I slid down his body. All was well for the first foot or so. Then I realized that something hard was pressing between my breasts. Heat flared in my cheeks and ears and down to my breasts while my mouth dried up.

_Oh God. OhGodOhGodOhGod . . . Oh. My. Fucking. God. The only way this could be more embarrassing is if The Doctor woke up right now_, I whimpered internally. In a flash of fear and panic, I snapped my eyes up to The Doctor's face. _Thank God, he's still asleep. I don't know what I would do if he woke up._

_**Start pleasuring him with your mouth? **_Koschei purred.

My breath hitched and, if possible, my face turned a deeper shade of red. _I told you to leave._

He laughed. _** I know, but your floundering has gone from hilarious to pathetic. I thought I'd intervene and give you a little warning.**_

_Warn me about what?_

I felt a presence loom over me and lean in close to breath in my ear, _**If you don't scooch your ass up in about six seconds, he's going to roll over and you'll be trapped like this until he wakes up.**_

I could feel Koschei's breath on my neck. With him being a sort of spirit entity, that should have worried me, but I had bigger problems.

I was in such a rush to return to my original position that I forgot to lift myself off The Doctor's erection. I just . . . kind of . . . slid my entire body up its length, and boy, did it have length.

I wanted to moan and grind my hips against his, just once, to feel it pressing against my burning hot center for a few seconds . . . .

The Doctor groaned loudly and bucked his hips sharply against mine. I wasn't prepared for that. Goosebumps erupted on my skin from hearing such a delicious sound come from him of all people; a sharp cry burst from my throat as I bucked back.

His large hands grasped my waist and I knew what was happening before it happened.

The Doctor's hips pushed upwards and to the right, effectively rolling us and pinning me beneath him.

I struggled under him but it was a pointless endeavor.

_This is quite the situation you've gotten yourself into, Dahlia_, I chastised. I glanced at The Doctor.

He was curled around my front, his arms around my waist. Puffs of breath caressed my skin where he pillowed his head against my breasts. At least he didn't snore.

All struggles ceased when I felt his erection twitch against my thigh. Heat pulsed between my legs in response.

Struggling was pointless. The Doctor's grip tightened whenever I attempted to get away. Might as well enjoy this while I could.

Snuggling back into the fluffy covers and pillows, I ran my fingers through The Doctor's short hair. He sighed contentedly and nuzzled against my chest in response.

I'm not really sure how long I laid there watching the sun rise and stroking The Doctor's hair, drifting in and out of sleep. By the sun's position, it was probably hours but I didn't care enough to do the proper mental math.

The Doctor stirred gently, rubbing against me and groaning tiredly. His eyes twitched open and then immediately screwed shut again. "Damn alien suns . . . I'll need to fix that someday . . . ." he muttered grouchily. He yawned before squinting up at me. "Oh, hello, Dahlia."

I smiled nervously and mumbled, "Morning, Doctor."

He frowned. "Somethin' wrong?"

"N-no! It's just . . . ."

He tilted his head to better stare into my eyes. "Ya can tell me. Good listener, me!"

Swallowing thickly, I whispered, "D-Doctor, you're . . . um, lying on top of me."

Silence. He blinked dumbly for several seconds, taking that time to evaluate our extremely comfortable entanglement. (I was actually surprised by how I wasn't being crushed by his weight). Our situation seemed to dawn on him then. His cheeks flushed a deep pink and spread to his ears. The Doctor coughed awkwardly and removed his arms from my waist, taking his warmth with them.

"Sorry," he mumbled, averting his eyes to an empty spot on the bed. "I'll just . . . move, yeah?" The Doctor used his arms to lift his weight off me and then tried to simply slide away from me. Unfortunately this caused two problems: first, his (not fading) morning erection was still firmly pressed against my inner thigh. Two, his movement was causing my nightgown to slip lower and lower. Already part of the areola was showing.

_Fuck my life._

The Doctor stumbled over his words, "Um, I, uh, I-I didn't mean— um, s-sorry, uh, uh, um, I'll just, um . . . yeah . . . ." His blush was rivaling mine in terms of just how dark it could get. Poor man looked positively miserable.

Calmly as I could, I righted the garment. "Let me just . . . ." I said quietly. Remorse weighing me down, I inched my legs away from The Doctor's length. I tried not to look at him but my curiosity got the better of me. Shyly, I glanced at his expression from beneath my eyelashes.

The Doctor's eyes were fogged over with both restraint and obvious lust. He was breathing heavily through his nose, occasionally licking his lips. Every muscle on his frame was tense, burning hot, and trembling. His hands were fisted in the sheets of my sides; they seemed near the point of ripping the fabric. I was suddenly hit with just how stupid we were both being.

_My God . . . we're fucking morons._ I fought the urge to twist my face into an ugly scowl. The situation was fragile. I didn't want to discourage whatever The Doctor felt for me.

But holy fuck we were idiots. Our attraction to each other was obvious- why did we keep avoiding it?

No. Why did _I_ keep avoiding it? That day in the kitchen . . . The Doctor had made the situation perfectly clear to me: it was my move. We might have been interrupted but there were tons of opportunities for me to snog him senseless. A few minutes of making out were all it would have taken, and I decided to do nothing.

Then he brought me here- an apology, he said, but all I had to do was read between the lines instead of waiting for him to do something. _Ugh! Why am I such a stupid ape?! He wouldn't ever make a move. He's afraid he'll frighten me away with all his burdens and Time Lordyness. And then he has the rule about not screwing companions._

_Fuck that rule. Fuck ignoring whatever my feelings are. And fuck pretending like I don't want to spread my legs and beg him to fuck me until I can't walk._

"Dahlia?" the Doctor's voice was so low I could barely hear him.

"Doctor." I smiled coyly, shifting my hips back to their original position against his hard on. I watched his Adam's apple bob when he swallowed. "I'm pretty comfortable. How 'bout you?"

The air wheezed out of his lungs in one long whoosh.

I pouted falsely. "Though, it could be better." Propping up on one arm, I trailed the free hand form his abdominals to his chest and then wrapped it around his neck. Trailing kiss up his neck, I paused at his ear, murmuring, "Breathe, Doctor. This is real."

He sucked in a gulp of air- only to release it seconds later in a soft groan. "Dahlia."

A thrill of pleasure caused my heart to stutter. Victory. This was happening. I moved forward to kiss him.

Echoing knocks thundered into the room. The Doctor and I stiffened. I squeezed my eyes shut and pleaded. _Please please please please please please please_

"Future Queen, you must wake now," a genderless voice stated. "We have food and your requested map."

Any arousal drained from The Doctor's face at the words 'Future Queen'.

"You'd better answer," The Doctor spat coldly. He pulled away from me and stomped into the bathroom.

I flopped back on the bed in defeat. Tears prickled at my eyes. The Doctor's tone had killed any lingering arousal. I had been so close. Now any progress made had been thrown out the window. The Doctor would pretend nothing happened.

Still wrapped in my despair, I trudged toward the door, making sure to put on a sleepy and non-depressed front before I opened it. Two guards stood there, one with a bundle of papers and what seemed like charcoal sticks under an arm and the other keeping on hand on a food trolley covered in plates, covered dishes, and large pitchers of some sort of drink.

I managed to get out a short thank you while I pulled the cart inside the room. Taking the papers and charcoal from the other guard, I said, "If you'll excuse me, I must resume my work on the separation."

They were both walking away before I had even finished my sentence. _Well okay then._

Pushing everything over to the couches, I spread the papers out on the table. Most were blank; I assumed they were for me to write down preparations for the 'wedding'. An investigation of the food left me both hungry and slightly disgusted. Little to nothing was recognizable, and whatever was recognizable gave off weird smells.

Shuddering, I thought, _I'll just wait for The Doctor to tell me what's safe and what isn't. _I unrolled the map to begin my search for four roads to mark. The palace, unsurprisingly, was in the middle of the map in all its massive glory. I immediately began to compare the buildings on the map to the ones I could see out the window. Several roads connected to the palace, all I needed was to find one that was under our window.

_Good God there are so many roads._ A headache was forming behind my eyes both from not eating and staring at the tiny lines of the map.

The bathroom door swung open. The Doctor strolled out, dressed in his clothes from yesterday. I abandoned the map in favor of getting changed into my clothes, as well.

The Doctor was eating some sort of red orange, nearly flat oval thing that I assumed was a fruit when I returned. Collapsing on the opposite couch, I hesitantly picked on up. "Um, Doctor," I said quietly, "this is all safe for me to eat, right?"

He gave me an odd look. "'Course it is. What made ya think it wasn't?"

Part of the awkwardness in the air disappeared. I blushed and gave him a self-conscious smile. "Sorry. Just not very familiar with alien foods."

Grinning hugely, The Doctor scooted forward on his couch until he could clearly point out random foods. "What I'm eatin' is called a flai. They're fruits that taste like blackberries but have the texture of apples. This right here is fried eggs from the trolin bird, think of chicken eggs, with baked purple drhun roots, think of potatoes or hash browns. And these are . . . ." He went on and on, explaining what everything was to me. Some of them I decided to stay away form, like the extremely bitter mattven. Altogether it was nice. Just us eating breakfast together without the awkwardness.

After we finished eating the food cart was shoved over toward the door and we settled in to stare at the map.

"So, can you tell which road is the one right under our window?" I asked The Doctor. We were seated side by side on one of the couches. He seemed to have a better understanding of the map than I did.

"Sure. It's this one right here." He placed his finger on said road.

I marked the street with a charcoal stick, doing the same to three others to make the map symmetrical. "Now we just need to wait until the guards come back to give it to them. Then we can start on the rope. Hopefully they'll put this into effect immediately." I sighed. "We'll probably be here another day or so."

The Doctor stayed silent.

* * *

I spent the rest of the day making up the most ridiculous wedding preparations in existence to keep King Kraith busy. The guards came by again twice; the first time to collect the modified map and food cart and the second to drop off dinner.

This time I didn't grab a slinky nightgown to sleep in. Instead, I picked a baggy shirt and pants. The Doctor seemed to have the same idea but his borrowed shirt fit much better than mine did.

Fiddling with my sleeves of my shirt, I bit my lip and glanced nervously over to The Doctor. He was sitting on a couch, inspecting the sonic.

"Doctor . . . ." I wondered if it was a good idea to ask. Maybe I should just go to bed and hope that he followed.

"Hm?" He didn't look up.

"Are you . . . are you coming to bed?" Only after the words were out of my mouth did I realize how much they made us seem like a married couple.

The Doctor had noticed it, too. He visibly tensed before sighing tiredly. "Dhalia . . . I think . . . it would be best if, if I stayed on the couch tonight."

I flinched at his words and slumped dejectedly. _Maybe I was wrong about him returning my feelings._ "Oh," I whispered. "O-okay." Swallowing thickly, I muttered, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

The next day was a mess of awkwardness. The Doctor and I tried to avoid each other as much as possible, but it was a ridiculous endeavor. We were locked in a room together. Where could we go?

The guards were the only break in our mundane day. They did the same thing they did yesterday- bring food and more paper and take the 'plans' I had written down.

"Do guards patrol around the palace?" I asked one when it handed me another scroll of parchment.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

I frowned. "I've felt the patrols' energy signatures. It's been a bit of a distraction."

The guard stiffened. "We will not cease our patrols around the palace."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I know. I can work around it. Thanks anyway."

Closing the door, I called out over my shoulder, "We need to time when the guards change shifts when they patrol around the palace. I'd rather not go through all this trouble just to get caught the second we get out the window."

* * *

Our fourth day on the planet of Tron; The Doctor and I were both getting antsy. Being cooped in the same room together, along with the weird tension and awkwardness, was getting to us. Our tempers were shorter and often the smallest thing ended in a screaming match. I didn't know how much more my stress levels, and vocal chords, could take.

To make things even better, King Kraith decided to toss my warning out the window and visit me.

"Why don't you run off and find your fiancé?" The Doctor shouted.

I gritted my teeth. "Maybe I will! It'd be better than staying in here with you!"

Several loud knocks interrupted us.

The Doctor sneered, "Oh look! Maybe that's him now!"

"I can only hope," I growled, stomping toward the door. I expected another duo of guards and was surprised to see the king standing there, looking all too pleased with the shouting match he had just heard.

Gaping like a fish out of water, I floundered, "K-King Kraith! I-I didn't expect to see you for another few days."

He puffed out his chest. "I understand that my visit will set your back another few days, but I needed to see that your spouse had not attempted to kidnap you for myself."

"The only thing he's done is start arguments. There's no reason for you to worry," I said coolly.

"It seems so." King Kraith tilted his head to the side, looking at me expectantly.

I didn't understand right away what he wanted me to do, but when he starting leaning forward, I knew.

_Mother of fu— he wants me to kiss him?! What do I do?! What do I do?! _The king just kept getting closer, the expectant look never leaving his face. _Suck it up, Dahlia; do it or he'll get suspicious. Kissing him once is better than dying._

Disgust firmly squashed, I stood on my toes until I could slant my mouth over the king's.

I nearly reeled back in revulsion. If I thought he smelt bad, his taste was even worse. His skin had a dead, rubbery feel to it and tasted overpoweringly like bitter salt. My lungs were starting to ache from holding my breath for so long, too. Sometimes I really hated my life.

Kraith finally pulled away, stroking my hair as he did so. He smiled. "I would apologize for adding several more days to your confinement but it seems that neither of us cares."

Morphing my face into what I hoped was a love struck expression, I croaked out, "Yeah . . . ."

Seeming content, Kraith released me and backed away from the door. "Until the day we wed, future bride."

I closed the door with a soft click, and then rushed to the bathroom as fast as I could to desperately wash my mouth out. How could one kiss make me feel so unclean? It felt like I had cheated on The Doctor and we weren't even freakin' together!

Shit. The Doctor. He'd been in the perfect spot to see the entire thing. He _had watched_ me voluntarily kiss King Kraith. Every time I try and take a step closer I get shoved fourteen back. Seriously, you guys. Fuck my life.

Finally gathering enough courage to exit the bathroom, I made a B-line straight for the table with the extra fruit left over form our last meal. Unfortunately the flai I bit into didn't do much to erase the taste of the Hoosliv king's mouth from mine.

The Doctor hadn't said anything, but I had seen his expression. The deadly rage of The Oncoming Storm was boiling just beneath The Doctor's skin, and I had to be extra careful if I didn't want to set him off.

"You two seem to get along well," he spat bitterly. His glare threatened to burn two holes in my back.

I took a calming, wavering breath. "We did? Good. A lie is supposed to seem real."

A low growl started in The Doctor's chest. "You should've told 'im no."

I frowned. "And risk him getting suspicious? No thank you. I've kept up the act this long; I can keep it up until we escape."

"Oh, you still want to leave?" he shot back dryly.

Eyes narrowing into a glare, I spat, "Of course I do! The entire point of the plan is to keep suspicion down until we can escape."

The Doctor glared back. "Sure you wouldn't be happier here with your _dear King Kraith_?"

My hands tensed, causing the flai fruit to creak in warning. "Why would you even think that?" I snapped, barring my teeth. "I'm just as miserable here as you are!"

"You seemed pretty comfortable snoggin' Kraith back there!"

My patience finally snapped. I didn't care if The Doctor and I were both confused about our feelings for the other. He didn't have the right to be an asshole for no reason.

Flinging the flai at the floor- it exploded into a colorful and sticky splatter upon impact- I shouted, "For God's safe, Doctor! That was one of the worst experiences of my life! There was no part of that kiss that I enjoyed! In fact, I still can't get the god awful taste out of my mouth!" Rage and hurt were never a good combination.

The Oncoming Storm was still angry, but I could tell some of my yelling had gotten through to him. Relief was slowly unwinding his coiled muscles and replacing the anger with something foreign. _My_ anger, however, only became more fueled when he started stalking toward me.

I didn't back away. He didn't seem to want to hurt me; he just looked determined.

The Doctor loomed over me, forcing me to crane my neck to look him in the eye. I was still scrunching my face into a scowl, clearly upset and not wanting to be frustrated by The Doctor's bipolar attitude anymore. The Doctor didn't seem to care because as soon as he was close enough he swooped down and captured my mouth with us, muffling my gasp of surprise.

This kiss wasn't like the last one we shared by the blue waterfall. We weren't equals. The Doctor was the dominator and I was the dominated.

His mouth pressed harshly against mine; I could feel my teeth leave imprints on the inside of my lips. The Doctor bit my lips, rolling them between his teeth and then soothing the almost wounds with his tongue. He forced my mouth open, snaking his tongue inside to curl against mine and map my mouth. I was left dazed and confused by The Doctor's odd behavior, desperately trying to keep up and challenge him while he merely put me back in place.

When I started going lightheaded from lack of air The Doctor pulled away, but not before sucking on my tongue for a good few seconds and then scraping his teeth along it.

Gasping for breath, I returned The Doctor's stare. His pupils were blown so wide they nearly obscured his icy eyes. He, too, was breathing deeply but not gasping like I was. _Damn frog-skinned bastard_, I thought sourly, but there was no venom in it.

"You're mine, Dahlia Tombew," The Doctor uttered lowly. "No one else is allowed to touch you like this. Don't you _ever_ forget that, got it?"

I swallowed thickly. Part of me was affronted of The Doctor thinking he could own me. The other part was begging to let him show me how much he owned me. I shoved both feelings away, feeling it would be safer to just nod.

"Good," he murmured and stroked my hair. "Also, we're leavin' tonight. I've memorized the guards' schedules and known when their shifts change. We'll leave then."

I nodded again.

The Doctor smirked. "Now, let's see how long it takes to get that bad taste out of your mouth, hm?"

* * *

After the guards collected the empty cart from the evening meal, The Doctor and I spent hours knotting hurnyl decorations together for our rope. Personally, I wasn't too crazy about using a homemade rope to escape with but beggars can't be choosers.

I'm sure it wouldn't have taken as long as it had if The Doctor would've stopped caressing me at every opportunity and causing me to fumble the complicated Rublian knot I had been instructed to use.

We ended up stealing away when the glowing moon was still rising. The Doctor went down our rope first; he wanted to be sure of its strength. If it could hold him then it could definitely hold me.

From the safety of our room I watched him descend.

A tiny blue light flashed from the darkness. He had made it.

Cautiously, I gripped the hurnyl and climbed out the window. _Just don't look down. Easy. I've faced murderous Slitheen and Daleks; this is easy. _The only problem was that my arms started trembling halfway down.

_A fall from this height would kill me._ I scowled at the thought that had come from nowhere. _Thanks, Scumbag Brain._

I ignored my steadily panicking thoughts. Not thinking was infinitely better.

"That's it, Dahlia. Just a bit further," The Doctor shout-whispered.

Oh thank God. If I could hear The Doctor then I was almost back on solid ground. I scooched a few more feet down and felt arms grip my waist.

"Let go," The Doctor whispered.

Releasing the rope, I let The Doctor take my weight. He easily held me before placing me on the ground. The Doctor grinned widely and grabbed my hand. "Run," he whispered. I beamed back and took off with him.

The street was empty of guards, as arranged, and a straight shot to the TARDIS (or so The Doctor said). We would be there soon; we were already past the edge of the city and near the woods.

I was struck by déjà vu while we dodged trees and other foliage but this time there was no mental breakdown on the horizon.

An hour hadn't even passed before we were back inside the TARDIS, out of breath and grinning like maniacs. We both braced ourselves against the console while we caught out breath.

The Doctor only took a minute of rest before he was rushing around the console. Soon the TARDIS was roaring to life and I was clutching the console to not be chucked against the railing. Goosebumps prickled all over my skin when the grinding sound of the TARDIS met my ears. I hadn't realized how much I had missed that sound until now.

"There. Floatin' safe and sound around the Crab Nebula," The Doctor proclaimed, entwining our fingers and leading me to the doors. He threw them open, allowing me to become enchanted by the splintered mass of green and orange, and curled the hand that used to encase mine around my waist.

I cuddled into The Doctor's side, sighing contently. "Hopefully this'll go better than your last attempt at being dashing."

"Should go better," he grinned, "Aren't any blokes here tryin' to steal you away from me."

Blushing, I bit my lip. We really needed to talk about that. "Doctor, we—" I was cut off by him tilting my face up and kissing me.

The kiss lasted for several seconds. Not even close to the bruising one The Doctor had planted on me several hours ago, but still a good, long kiss.

Kissing The Doctor was a wonderful experience. It felt like coming home. His cinnamon and honey taste with that twang of aged parchment and ink always encased me, filling my head like vapors and leaving me lightheaded.

By the time we parted I was drunk on his scent and aching for more of his taste. Was there a chemical in Time Lords' saliva humans were addicted to? If so, I didn't mind.

The Doctor continued to place several open mouthed kisses on my mouth, pulling away when I tried to return them.

I eventually gave up and let him do what he wanted; I was enjoying it anyway.

In between kisses I managed to get out, "Doctor . . . we . . . need to . . . talk."

He made an acknowledging sound but didn't cease his ministrations.

I dodged his next kiss. He moved on to my neck. "We need to talk."

"About what?" he murmured against my throat.

Pulling him away from my skin to look him in the eye, I said, "You know what." And he did. I could see the nerves eating away at him. His pupils were blown wide in a way that made him look like an animal ready to bolt.

"I have an idea- let's go somewhere!" And like that the frightened Doctor was gave, replaced by the happy, never-bothered-by-anything Doctor.

I attempted to get him back on track. "No, Doctor. We don't need to go somewhere. We just got back!"

He ignored me. The Doctor rambled while he scrambled around the console in an effort to seemingly press every button and flick every switch. "Earth! How 'bout Earth? Haven't been to Earth in a while. Gotta check in every now and then or else it might explode."

The TARDIS slammed her doors shut. She was irritated with her thief. I could feel her annoyance in being taken to Earth just so The Doctor could avoid talking about his feelings.

I was wrenched from my thoughts by a sudden flip the TARDIS executed. Shrieking in surprise and fright, I clutched the railing so I didn't go flying into the ceiling. Two seconds later I crashed back to the metal grating. A similar crash told me The Doctor had experienced the same antigravity situation I had.

I was still in shock when The Doctor threw open the TARDIS doors. My knees were trembling uncontrollably and bile was creeping up my esophagus. _That's it. The Doctor is no longer allowed to drive when he's emotionally unstable._

_**I**_ _**would suggest killing him but I know you wouldn't approve**_, Koschei added.

I decided not to honor that with a response and stumbled out the doors after The Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor hadn't gone for. He stopped a few feet outside the TARDIS and sat on a bench to stare blankly out at a bay in whatever city we were in of whatever country this happened to be.

Without saying a word I sat next to him. I let the silence settle before I disturbed the peace. "Doctor, you know we can't ignore this."

He sighed heavily. "I know."

Biting my lip, I scrounged up the courage to asked, "What are we?"

"Honestly? I don't know."

"What do you want us to be? Because I know what I want."

"I can't . . . I can't _tell you_."

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong for me to want anything from you!"

"What? Why?"

"Because I—Dahlia, I can't . . . I can't give you anything. I can't even ensure your safety, let alone your happiness. You deserve to be a queen yet I can't give you that."

" . . . Doctor, I don't want to be treated like a queen. I know you can't keep me safe, but you will tear apart the universe for me. And what can't you give me?"

"A stable life, a home, kids . . . Dahlia, I can't even tell you how I feel about you for Rassilon's sake!"

"First off- _kids?_ I'm not ready for kids and won't be for a long time. Second, the TARDIS is my home now. Third, if I wanted a stable, domestic life, I wouldn't have come with you in the first place. I happen to _like_ our crazy life. Lastly, I don't need for you to tell me, Doctor. Yeah, it would be nice to hear it but being shown how you feel would make me just as happy." I stared intently at him after I finished. "I'll ask again: What do you want us to be? We can see where this goes or call it off. Whatever you want."

The Doctor smiled sadly and covered my hand with his. I steeled myself. No matter what, I wouldn't cry.

"Dahlia." He stared into my eyes and said remorsefully, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go that easily. I want us to at least give this a chance."

Happiness and relief hit me so hard I was actually frightened by my reaction.

I returned The Doctor's smile, though mine was exceedingly more cheerful, and this time . . . this time I kissed him.

* * *

**My God. This chapter's finally finished. I apologize for it taking so long. I wanted to get this in by the end of April but that didn't happen. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long.**

**On another note: Have any of you heard of the Skin Deep webcomic? If you haven't, find it and read it. Er. Mah. Gerd, you guysh. This comic is one of the greatest things ever! It's my newest addiction! The saddest thing is that there's a section in for fanfics about it and it's empty. **_**Empty**_**.**

**So here's my mission for you all: Read the comic. Realize how awesome it is. Write as much as humanly possible.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I hope you all did. Please review if you want to. I'll see you all again when I update.**


	15. The Chapter of Fail

**I tried you guys. I really did. But every time I tried to write from the actual episode, everything that came out was crap. So here's some smut instead! Hope I didn't fuck it over too badly!**

* * *

The Doctor pinned me against a wall almost as soon as we returned to the TARDIS, lifting me off the floor to wrap my legs around his waist for balance. He kissed me fiercely. My lips stung from contact with his teeth.

"Stupid idea- ya could've been killed," he panted against my mouth, moaning softly when I rolled my hips into his.

I had my arms wrapped around his neck to keep him from pulling away (like he had any plans to) and was kissing back just as intensely. "You do it all the time," I gasped back. He had to choose now to lecture me on safety.

He attempted to move down to my jaw and throat but I whined when he started pulling away. Smirking, The Doctor kissed me again, this time parting my lips with his tongue and slipping it inside my mouth.

I moved one hand into his slightly too short hair to grip it as tightly as possible; sucking on The Doctor's tongue rewarded me with a more intense shot of his flavor.

We went on like that for what felt like forever, swapping spit, intertwining our tongues, and mapping each other's mouths. Unsurprisingly, I ran out of air first, but I didn't allow The Doctor to attack my neck; I merely took a deep breath to satisfy my need for air and dove in to nip along his jaw. Dried sweat muffled his natural taste. I didn't care; I swiped my tongue along the curve of his jaw anyway.

The Doctor stiffened the closer I got to his ears. So, naturally, that's where I went next.

Right when I scraped my teeth along his earlobe, The Doctor let out a long, drawn out moan. I paused. _What the hell was that?_ Four's last words of advice to me floated to the surface of my mind: "Go for the ears". _Was this what he meant? What else could he have meant?_

To test my hypothesis, I flicked The Doctor's earlobe with my tongue and then sucked it into my mouth.

Another surprisingly loud, porn star worthy moan escaped The Doctor, this time accompanied by him grinding his erection against my core as hard as he could. The Doctor weaved his hand into my hair and pulled my mouth from his ear.

A hot flash of arousal shocked my lower abdomen at the animalistic lust in The Doctor's eyes.

He leaned in close and nipped along my jaw. His hot breath came out in puffs against my ear when he ordered, "Tighten your legs. 'M not takin' ya against a wall."

I blushed hotly. 'Take me'? Are we actually going to have sex this time? I had been trying to initiate that for months, but The Doctor had always managed to overpower his sex drive with remarkable self control. I guess everyone has their breaking point, even The Doctor.

Doing as I was told, I preoccupied myself with kicking off my shoes and toeing off my socks while The Doctor lifted us away from the wall and started down the hall. I didn't pay attention to where we were going, as long as we got there quickly and with reasonably less clothing.

I nudged The Doctor's leather jacket off his shoulders. He maneuvered one arm out of it at a time to make sure he didn't drop me. The piece of clothing fell to the metal floor with a heavy thump. I kissed him again, possessively probing his mouth with my tongue. He kissed back just as strongly, now stumbling as if he'd forgotten how to walk in a straight line.

The Doctor broke away, gasping, and opened his eyes to watch where he was going. "Dahlia, we'll never get there if ya don't let me concentrate," he grunted. "Hard enough as it is."

Pouting, I relented. I'd rather wait a bit now rather than never get to wherever he was taking me.

He stopped at a door I wasn't familiar with, reluctantly removing a hand from my ass to unlock the door. The door creaked open and The Doctor's absent hand immediately sought its earlier placement.

The Doctor kicked the door closed after he stepped through; I took this as a signal to continue what we started in the hall and leaned in for another kiss, but The Doctor dodged and chuckled, the smirk on his face and glint in his eyes telling me to wait. I pouted again. I was tired of waiting. I wasn't a very patient person on a good day, yet alone one where I'd been held hostage, nearly died (twice), and was being teased relentlessly while I was mind-numbingly horny.

So, in retaliation for once again being denied, I ground my hips against The Doctor's with as much force as I could manage in my current position.

The Doctor stumbled. I actually felt his legs wobble and threaten to give out.

He hurriedly moved farther into the room. His face was a bright red and I could see sweat dripping down his temples and sliding down the strong column of his throat. Smirking, I opened my mouth to comment on his flustered appearance, but he dumped me unceremoniously on a very cushy surface.

"Oof," I grunted. Giving The Doctor a nonthreatening glare, I muttered, "Oh yes, very smart, rudely dump the girl who wants to screw you onto a random surface—"

"It's not a random surface," he purred. "It's my bed."

I frowned. "Your . . ." I blinked in realization. "Oh." Realizing the implications of that, I finally took the time to observe my surroundings.

The room was messy, to put it bluntly, not in the slob kind of messy. More like the Everything Interests Me At The Same Time And I Also Kinda Have No More Shelves kind of messy. Machinery, musical instruments, coils of wiring, unframed artwork- some I recognized as human (Is that a car battery hooked up to bicycle frame?) and others I knew were trinkets from alien planets.

And then there was the bed. Gloriously soft but still firm enough to be supportive, the king sized creation had a unique canopy. By unique I mean it seemed to be made out of stars and galaxies intricately swirling together to create barely there shimmers of fabric.

Turning my head every which way, I tried to take in every inch of the darkened room. I had never been in here before. Hell, I didn't even know it existed! The Doctor never alluded to having a room of his own. Sure, I had always thought he had his own room, but I never thought he'd let me see it.

Movement caught my eye. The Doctor was slowly tugging his clothes off, watching me carefully, like if he moved too fast I would change my mind.

Smirking, I gave him my full attention, tracing the movement of his muscles whenever he moved.

He froze, shirt still hanging from his hand. "What?" he asked nervously. If the room were brighter, I'm sure I would have seen a blush on his cheeks.

"Just enjoying the show," I purred. I had undoubtedly hit a nerve of self-doubt because The Doctor stopped moving altogether. Holding in my impatient sigh, I peeled my own shirt off before crawling toward him on my hands and knees. The Doctor's ragged breaths increased in volume as I reached out and took hold of his belt, undoing it and sliding it from his belt loops. I dropped the belt to the floor, it clattered when it made contact, and pressed a kiss on The Doctor's abdominals, slowly making my way down before being stopped by his jeans. I slid my tongue along the seam of skin and clothing; Goosebumps rose along the tan skin in reaction.

The Doctor groaned softly. His breath hitched with every flick of my tongue.

Balancing myself by grasping one of his thighs, I unbuttoned and unzipped The Doctor's pants, tugging them down from his hips. I expected another layer of cloth, but a very hard, very bare erection met me instead.

"I didn't know you went commando," I said, mostly to myself, but I glanced up at The Doctor as if waiting for an explanation.

He blinked his half lidded, fogged over eyes in a half-assed attempt to clear his head and respond. He opened his mouth but all that came out was a low moan.

Smirking, I gripped his erection tightly at the base and slowly pumped him. The Doctor immediately gripped my shoulders, breath hissing out from his clenched teeth and tilting his head back. I continued my slow pace, reveling in just how much power I had over him. Lowering my mouth, I licked off the beads of pre-come that had formed at the tip.

The Doctor's hands clenched down on my shoulders. "I-I'm not gonna last if you do that."

Grinning slyly, I shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure your Time Lord biology will have you ready again in only a few minutes." Then I popped the leaking head in my mouth, sucking gently on it and tonguing the slit.

He pulled me off. I frowned. Wasn't he enjoying it? I know I hadn't really gotten to do anything yet, but he could at least give me a chance! "What?" I questioned.

At first he stayed silent, making it his mission to remove my bra without initiating eye contact. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. If that's all he wanted, he could've just said so, but noooo, he had to go and annoy me. _ Stupid Time Lords and their inability to voice their wants._

I leaned forward again to resume pleasuring him but The Doctor pulled me away again. I gave him an annoyed look. I mean, come on! What guy turns down a blow job?

"Dahlia, I told you," he mumbled, gently pushing me back onto the bed. "I want to last. There's plenty of time for that later."

I wanted to protest but all I could do was shiver under the intensity of his lust-dark eyes. Squirming, I kept my hands at my sides. I had no reason to cover myself. But the longer he stood there, the more self conscious I felt. My discomfort must've shown because The Doctor was then climbing onto the bed to straddle me.

Grinning widely, he kissed me while his hands wandered; they didn't spend as much time at my breasts as I thought they would. I would've been insulted if not for where they went next- the button of my jeans.

The Doctor broke the kiss to whisper in my ear, "You're wearin' too many clothes."

The warm puff of air at my ear did nothing to control my erratic nerves. I was still trying to convince myself this was happening. The Doctor and I were going to have sex. The Doctor was naked and straddling me. My eyes roamed over his naked form for good measure. Being naked suited him. _I should really try to convince him to walk around naked more often. Seriously, who needs clothes? Clothes are stupid and all they do is keep me from admiring just how hot The Doctor is. Note to Self: Get rid of all_—

A sharp spark of pain at my throat jolted me from my thoughts. The Doctor soothed the nip from his tongue before grazing his teeth along my collar bone. "Your mind was wanderin'. Can't have that, can we?" he hummed, dipping his fingers just below my waistband.

My cheeks burned and my legs spread apart unconsciously at the action. Heat boiled in my lower abdomen. "N-No, we can't," I stuttered, looking away from his dark eyes for a fraction of a second to relieve the arousal coiling in my gut. Mustering up some sarcasm from God knows where, I said, "And, while you were the one complaining about me wearing too much, you don't seem to be doing anything about it."

He chuckled at my failed attempt at seeming unaffected. I huffed and wriggled underneath him. If he was going to laugh at me instead of undressing me, then I'd find something else to preoccupy my time.

The Doctor tightened his grip on my hip, smirking. "No need to get testy, Dahlia." He tilted his head to the side curiously. "Maybe I should teach you some patience."

"And maybe I should teach you some manners," I snapped back, glaring at him. My arousal had died down; it only flickered briefly instead of the inferno it had been.

The Time Lord frowned and inhaled deeply at my throat. He stayed there for several long moments, not doing anything except muttering to himself in such a low register that I couldn't hear him.

_Maybe I should just go to sleep_, I thought mournfully. I really had been looking forward to actual sex.

"Oh God!" I cried out suddenly. The Doctor had bitten down at the juncture of my neck and shoulder at the same time he ground his erection into my core.

Grunting, The Doctor growled, "I believe it's time you _stopped thinking_."

I tossed my head back and bit my lip, whimpering. The heat between my legs was back full force. I draped my arms over his shoulders, digging into them with my short nails.

He moaned at the action, pausing in the act of leaving a hickey between my collarbones, and moving down to my breasts. One of his hands was still preoccupied with tightly gripping my hip but his free hand immediately cupped one mound of flesh; his tongue swirled around the nipple of the other.

I took this time to get control of my breathing. I didn't know about other women, but my breasts had never been that sensitive. As long as he didn't—

"Ah!" I whimpered, my nails scraping long streaks up The Doctor's back. He had apparently figured out that sucking was the best way to get a reaction out of me.

He smirked against my abused skin, nipping and sucking and caressing with his tongue to apologize before switching to the barely touched breast.

Blood throbbed between my legs until the pleasure was almost painful. My breath was coming in short pants and gasps and I couldn't catch my breath. The Doctor seemed to be having too much fun to let up, even when I begged. Through the fog of my lust-addled mind, I registered The Doctor's hand unbuttoning and unzipping my pants, attempting to remove them without tearing himself away from my chest.

If I had any air in my lungs to spare, I would've laughed at his horrendous attempt at multitasking. _Of course_ The Doctor would rather fumble with my pants for several minutes instead of just pulling away from my seemingly very interesting nipples for a few seconds to discard my clothing. No, that would be too simple. Filing those thoughts away for later use, I removed my arms from The Doctor's neck (merely grinning at the confused look he gave me) and used them to shove both my jeans and panties off in one go, kicking the fabric away from my legs and off the bed. A large grin overtook The Doctor's face at this new development, but I barely noticed; I was too busy feeling how The Doctor's skin felt against my own.

I can't describe how perfectly we fit together, even with him dragging his teeth along my ribs and causing my breath to catch in my throat. Every phrase I know just seems so overused now. Maybe The Doctor's right, maybe it's time I stopped thinking.

Speaking of The Doctor, he was making his way down my torso, swiping at different patches of skin with his tongue and letting his hot breath fan over the wet spots. The farther down he went, the more labored my breath became, and the more labored my breathing became; the slower he went until he was right below my navel, kissing the skin with the gentlest brush of his lips. His eyes stared into mine, the pupils blown with lust and mischief, goading me to order him to go further.

Swallowing, I met his challenge, begging softly, "Doctor, please . . . _please_ don't tease me."

He chuckled and I almost thought he was going to pull away, but he didn't; hot breath fanned over my wet core, forcing me to bit my lip to keep in the whimpers that threatened to escape. Unable to keep The Doctor's stare, I turned my eyes to the glittering canopy.

Another chuckle. My cheeks burned hotly. The knots in my stomach were going to kill me if he didn't do something.

A wet appendage lightly traced the seam of my opening from top to bottom. The breath wheezed from my lungs and I didn't try to stop the soft keening sound I didn't even know I could make. The tongue retreated for the briefest of seconds before returning to circle my clit with feather light touches. I pressed my hips toward The Doctor, silently begging for more, and let out a frustrated noise when I was denied.

"Doctor!" I wanted to sound intimidating but my voice drew the word into a whine instead.

He rested his head on my thigh, scratching his stubble against it while he looked at me innocently. "Somethin' wrong?"

I huffed and collapsed back into the sheets. I hadn't even realized I had propped myself up until now.

The Doctor sat up suddenly. His strong figure loomed over me and I was suddenly struck by how intimidating he was, even naked and glistening was a light sheen of sweat. I looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes, no clue as to what he was thinking.

He grinned and grasped my calves tightly. "Guess I'll find out on my own, then."

I was in the middle of rolling my eyes when he jerked me forward by my legs, pulling them over his shoulders and suspending more than half my body in the air.

A high pitched shriek echoed off the dark bedroom walls. My arms flailed in my few seconds of panic, grasping wildly at the sheets for unneeded balance. The adrenaline rush faded, but it was replaced by a new wave of lust and anticipation. This was a new position for me. No one I had ever been with had ever tried this before. I think it might've been because they didn't have the upper body strength to support me for that long, but that's not important; what is important is the fact that The Doctor kept flicking his eyes back between my center and my face, licking his lips and waiting for me to realize what he was about to do. And _God_ . . . my entire body shivered when I realized he was going to eat me out like this, suspended on just his shoulders.

I readjusted my legs so he wouldn't have to hold them. I gave him a smile that was both shy and devious (in some impossible way) and looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. "Well?" I muttered, stroking my foot along his back. "What're you waiting for? Fix it."

He gave me the happiest grin and grasped my rear, pulling me closer. His eyes connected with mine one more time before he focused completely on his task.

His tongue was back, gently parting my outer lips to lick along their insides. He hummed appreciatively and flicked the inner lips before delicately sliding along my opening. Teasing but never venturing forth, The Doctor moved up to my clit to fully lavish it, using differencing intervals of tongue and sucking.

That's when my thoughts really stopped. Moans welled in my throat, but I stifled them out of habit. The Doctor forced me to break that habit with a sharp pinch to my ass; I glared at him, but couldn't hold onto the anger for long because he did this twisty thing that turned me into a gasping pile of mush.

I scrambled for something to hold. Normally I'd grab the guy's shoulders or bury my hands in his hair but my current position didn't allow that so I settled for ripping the stitches of the bedspread.

"Oh God . . . Doctor . . . Doctor," I whimpered, biting my lip. I was so, so close. All he needed to do was keep doing that undulating thing but just a bit deeper and . . . "Oh!" My mouth dropped open and I could practically feel my eyes glaze over when my orgasm hit. The Doctor continued thrusting his tongue inside me in time with my bucking hips, letting me ride out my aftershocks.

After several seconds, I was nearly too sensitive for him to continue. My hips kept twitching away from him, even though I desperately wanted him to continue. The Doctor finally called it quits when I started begging. Begging for him to stop or keep going, I don't remember which.

With a tenderness I had never seen before, The Doctor kissed and nuzzled my inner thighs before gently settling them onto the bed. He slinked up my body and kissed me, slowly parting my lips to caress every cranny of my mouth with his tongue.

Breaking away, The Doctor closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine. "Dahlia, I . . . I . . . ." He swallowed thickly and tried again, but couldn't say what he seemed to be trying to himself to say.

I caught on quicker than I normally would have. Carding a hand through his hair, I held him in place, smiling reassuringly even though he couldn't see it. "You don't have to say it," I whispered caringly. "I already know, Doctor. You don't have to force yourself." Still smiling, I pressed a kiss to his forehead.

He gave me a grateful stare and kissed me again; this time when he broke away he muttered an almost inaudible sentence against my lips. "Dahlia, if you want to stop, we can. I-I don't want to push you."

Groaning in annoyance, I jerked him forward to kiss him fiercely. "We aren't stopping, you idiot," I panted, raking my nails across his scalp. He groaned at that, so I did it again. "Just go slow. It's been over a year since my last time and I've only been with one other person."

The Doctor nodded against my throat, grazing it with his teeth. "Ready?" he mumbled.

"Yes," I responded airily, whatever brain power I still had was focused on staying pliable and not tensing.

Balancing his body on one arm with amazing ease, The Doctor guided his cock to my opening with the free hand. He paused just before entering. "You're—"

"Yes, Doctor, I'm sure! Now stop stopping!" I growled, attempting to grind my cunt onto him. I could feel the dripping head against my folds but it wasn't enough; I needed him inside me.

He grinned, withholding his laughter, though I felt it anyway, and no less than a second after I spoke, The Doctor was pressing forward, slowly sliding inside me like I had requested. He grunted, and his hips involuntarily twitched at random intervals. I attempted to make a mental note to thank him for his self-control later but my brain soon became overloaded with the glorious sensation of being filled after being practically celibate for so long.

The Doctor's other arm mirrored the first at the empty space beside my head, propping him up so he could give me an intense stare. "Everything all right?" he asked hesitantly, searching my face for any signs of distress.

"Only thing wrong is that you aren't moving." I squirmed under him in an attempt to get him to move.

He grunted again and then slowly pulled out, roughly snapping his hips back against mine. I moaned and clutched his shoulders; a thrill of pleasure had immediately raced through my body at the action and I yearned for more.

"That what you wanted?" he asked, smoothly rocking his hips instead of the rough thrusting I wanted.

"Yes," I hissed. I glared up at him, but only received a cheeky grin in response.

"All I needed to hear." The Doctor braced his arms on the headboard and used it as leverage when he started thrusting.

The room was then filled with moans, gasps, grunts, begging, and the slapping on flesh on flesh. The sounds permeated the air but rarely bounced off the walls, like one of the wails I was forced to release after The Doctor twisted his hips and hit a spot I hadn't known existed until now. I don't know how long we lasted; in reality, it must've been maybe ten-fifteen minutes of actual sex, but it felt much, much longer than that. I wanted it to be longer than that.

Heat coiled in my lower abdomen. I was so close. I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins; hear my heart pounding in my ears. I was gasping for air, but no matter how quickly I inhaled, it was never enough. My vision was going cross-eyed, too; I could barely keep my eyes focused on The Doctor now the pleasure was so intense.

_Oh God . . . ._ "Doctor," I moaned softly when my orgasm peaked. As I orgasmed, my inner walls clenched down on The Doctor's cock. His steady pace faltered, and I knew he was following me, even before his hand touched my temple.

A surge of lust, pleasure, and heat engulfed me. It threatened to consume me, but when I was on the urge of drowning, The Doctor pulled his hand away. He collapsed beside me, gasping for breath like I was.

"Sorry . . . about . . . that," he panted, throwing an arm around my waist.

I took a moment to pull my thoughts together so I could form a coherent sentence. "What . . . was that?" I asked breathlessly.

The Doctor blushed, choosing to rake his eyes over my exposed form rather than at my eyes. "When I entered your mind, I had planned to just share a few of my emotions with you. It didn't go as well as I'd hoped."

My breathing finally slowed enough so that, though my voice was soft, I wasn't panting. "You lost control?"

" . . . Yes."

I smiled smugly. "I made The Doctor orgasm so hard he lost control. I need to get that on a T-shirt."

He snorted. "Oh, shut it." He propped himself up on an arm. "Did you enjoy it?"

I rolled my head over to give him an un-amused stare. "'Did I enjoy it?' Do you see me complaining? No," I scoffed. "I'd say it's the best sex I've ever had."

He grinned and purred, "Best sex ever?"

I rolled my eyes and maneuvered the covers over me. "You can brag tomorrow, Doctor. For now, let's just sleep, okay?"

The Doctor slipped under the covers behind me, wrapping me up fully in his arms to spoon. Nuzzling my sweat sticky neck, he mumbled, "Best sex ever? Really?"

Sighing tiredly, I reached back and patted The Doctor's face gently. "Yes, Theta, best sex ever. Now go to sleep."

* * *

**I'm so sorry you guys. Really, I am. This whole chapter just makes me want to barf. The only useful thing I found out is that writing porn is hard, and I respect those who can write it well and make it flow so easily.**

**This chapter wasn't supposed to take this long. It was supposed to be up at least a week earlier but, as I said, I suck at writing smut. Hopefully the next chapter will go smoother.**

**On a brighter note: I have finally discovered my love for the show Supernatural! I adore these characters so much, it's ridiculous. Especially Castiel! He is the most adorable angel ever!**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter even though it sucks. And I'll see you all next time! Thank you reading!**


	16. Only Way to See an Air Raid

**Here it is- the next chapter! I enjoyed writing this one so much, simply for one reason: Jack! He finally makes an appearance!**

**To Everyone: I didn't think the last chapter would get that much support. Thank you, everyone! I still have some reserves about it, but I'm glad you all enjoyed it! Thank you for your wonderful feedback!**

**To Flora: I like a lot about the new series. I'm still a little on the fence about Clara; I don't hate her, and I am leaning more toward adoring her but it's not really so much about her as a character but about how much I miss the Ponds (Rory especially). What I really want to know about is what all this John Hurt business is. Is he the twelfth Doctor? Or perhaps a part of The Doctor's mind that has been buried for years? I can only speculate.**

**I hope that answered your question, and thank you for reading!**

* * *

Life progressed normally on the U.S.S. TARDIS. Well, as normal as it can be for us. I got kidnapped a few times (not my fault, by the way. The Doctor wandered off and left me alone, so you can blame him), The Doctor rescued me, we blew up a few buildings (the first two were accidents, the third was planned), and I found out that Nine can be very possessive. Also, I need to realize how other species flirt. Seems that's a greater skill than I first believed.

Ashley asked for The Doctor to take her back in her own timeline. To see her dad. I didn't join them on that trip. I had warned Ashley she wouldn't like what she found if she went, but she persisted, and I refused to join them. The Doctor didn't seem pleased with the idea of going back in her time stream at all, let alone without me, but I managed to convince him to do this one thing for her. I had hoped it would offer some closure for her. I guess I was half right.

When they returned, Ashley was crying, but by the look on The Doctor's face, she had been a lot worse off earlier.

She didn't hate me, either, which I was grateful for. I had expected some screamed accusations of knowing everything and then refusing to change it. Ashley didn't scream or yell or try to make me feel guilty. She just hugged me and cried, and I tried my best to comfort her, muttering apologies the entire time.

Then we were back at what we do best. The Doctor took me to this place called The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Not too bad of a place, but not my favorite. Strange thing though, The Doctor nagged me about bringing a towel with us in my bag for hours, not allowing us to leave the TARDIS until I'd agreed to keeping one with me at all times. I should probably ask him about that.

* * *

Today was a day for relaxation. Or that's what I told The Doctor. Yesterday I had been kidnapped and hung over volcano by a group of Aixens to appease their war god, and let me tell you, being suspended over a nearly endless pit of lava by only a rickety pulley system and rope is not my suggestion for a good time. The Doctor had rescued me, though, and we had made a mad dash to the TARDIS, dodging arrows and spears across the mint green grasslands.

But today I was going to relax. I was going to take a long bubble bath in the swimming pool sized, in ground bathtub in The Doctor's sprawling bathroom (seriously, this thing's around half a football field in sheer size), and then I was going to play video games in the virtual reality room. I was contemplating sex for afterwards, but I would have to see how I felt after my gaming streak.

I had just finished stripping and had one leg submerged in the bath when the alarms went off. I froze. _Fuck._ Mauve lights flashed obnoxiously, painting me in their colors. Scowling and muttering curse words under my breath, I dried off my leg and stormed to the door. It opened up to my room. Mentally thanking the TARDIS, I quickly dressed in the clothing she had already laid out on my bed- underwear, supportive bra, pale blue jeans, socks, dark blue converse, and surprise surprise, a union jack T-shirt.

My irritation evaporated immediately._ Jack! I'm going to meet Captain Jack Harkness! Well, technically I've already met him but that Jack was from my future, this time I'm from his! _Grinning stupidly, I dashed out of my room; this time the door led to the hallway, like it was supposed to. I thanked Sexy again and took off down the hallway. Is it wrong that I've actually developed a technique that allows me to, mostly, keep my balance when the TARDIS is out of control? I should probably feel weird about it, but I don't. It just feels natural.

After only hitting a relatively small number of walls and corners, I made it to the main control room. I hung onto the railing for balance when I went down the stairs, shouting, "What did you do?"

The Doctor briefly looked up from the console to glare at me. "Not my fault. The thing's mauve, what did you expect me to do?"

I rolled my eyes and joined him at the console (I stumbled and slammed into it. My midsection's gonna be bruised for a while). "I would've preferred you not slaving the TARDIS to it. If it's mauve and dangerous, I'd rather plan ahead a bit rather than potentially dying in a fiery crash."

He was the one to roll his eyes this time. "Plans are stupid. Besides, I know what I'm doin'!" he said, just when the TARDIS lurched dangerously on her side. I clicked the first, third, and fourth domino buttons down and flipped a large switch to sort-of stabilize us. When we were right side up again (but still jerking around madly), I sent The Doctor a glare. He chuckled nervously, dodging a shower of sparks. "See?" he grinned. "Everything's fine."

I was tempted to let him have his way. "This isn't safe."

"It totally is," he replied brightly. The console exploded again. I stumbled back into another section of railing. "Okay, reasonably. Should have said 'reasonably' there."

"Do you even know what this thing is?"

"No idea."

"Then why are we chasing it?" I hissed back.

"It's mauve and dangerous. And about 30 seconds from the center of London."

I burst out laughing, my bad mood completely gone. I loved just how nonchalant he was about this- shackling the TARDIS to a dangerous, unknown object, flying almost completely out of control to London. It was perfect.

He grinned at me. "Mind helpin' out here? Only got two hands."

I didn't try to stop the smile that spread across my mouth. "Sure, why not?" I laughed, taking the place opposite of The Doctor. "Lord knows you need all the help you can get!"

He tried to twist his expression into something less pleasant, but he couldn't seem to do it. Instead, he clung to the console and tried not to fall over as the TARDIS continued her mad descent to Earth.

* * *

We landed in an alley. It was nighttime. Clothes were hanging out to dry on lines above us that crisscrossed between buildings. The buildings were all made of brick; dirt clung to their imperfections. Boxes were piled up in random spaces, along with trash.

I stepped out of the TARDIS first. What can I say? I was excited. London at the height of the blitz and one of the happiest days of The Doctor's life with a side of Captain Jack- who wouldn't be excited about that? The only thing that worried me was when I would have to 'wander off' with the barrage balloon. I wasn't looking forward to that.

The Doctor grinned at me. "Do you know how long we can knock around space without having to bump into Earth?"

I spun around to face him. "I dunno. Five days? Or is that just when we're out of milk?"

He snorted, "Of all the species in all the universe and it has to come out of a cow."

"It's a human thing, you wouldn't understand," I said, waving off his mood. "How far behind it were we?"

The Doctor caught on quickly. "Must have come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "A month? Really? Couldn't have cut it a bit closer?"

He looked at me indignantly. "It was jumping time tracks all over the place; we're bound to be a little bit out. Do _you_ wanna drive?"

I smirked and teased, "Sure. I'm much better at it than you are anyway. How much is 'a little'?"

"A bit."

"Is that _exactly_ a bit?"

"Ish."

I giggled at his annoyed response. Oh how I loved to tease my Time Lord. My smile softened at that thought. My Time Lord . . . I liked the ring of it and it was made all the better because it was _true_. He was mine. _I owe The Face of Boe an apology_, I thought happily. Never doubt Jack; he's always right.

"So, what's your plan to find the mauve and dangerous thing?" I asked, shuffling behind in through the alley.

He gave me puzzled stare. "Dahlia, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm gonna ask," he replied, holding up the psychic paper.

I ignored the paper, which read 'Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids', and snorted. "For once, could you be a bit more futuristic in your information gathering? I see no reason why we have to talk to _people_."

He snorted in amusement. "You're only sayin' that 'cus you hate people."

Wrinkling my nose in distaste, I whined, "It's not my fault! People are just so difficult! They panic too easily and rarely ask the right questions."

He chuckled, "Not everyone can be as clever as us, Dahlia."

I scoffed, "You're one to talk, with all your rambling of stupid apes."

"You know what? Let's have a bit of hush, alright?" The Doctor strolled toward a plain door at the end of the alley. A large pile of trash was to the left of it.

Snickering, I followed. "You're just upset because I won."

"No, I let you win. Big difference."

"I won, fair and square. Just admit it; it'll make us both feel better."

"How would be admitting defeat make me feel better?" he asked incredulously, looking at me from over his shoulder.

I pretended to think. "Okay, so it won't make you feel better, but then I could properly gloat, like it should be."

The Doctor snorted and went back to attempting to open the door with his sonic screwdriver. "Door, music, people. What d'you think?"

"I think you should do a scan for alien tech," I snipped, crossing my arms over my chest and cocking a hip out.

"Are you sure about that T-shirt?" he threw out, ignoring my statement.

I shrugged, even though he couldn't see it. "It's okay, a bit bright, but the TARDIS picked it out for me so I thought I'd humor her."

The Doctor said something, but I didn't hear him. I was too focused on the soft voice crying out, "Mummy!" I stiffened briefly before relaxing. This was my cue. Hopefully The Doctor wouldn't be too upset that I had wandered off.

Silently, I backed away from him and toward the little boy. Fear pulsed overpoweringly through my bloodstream. The fear wasn't from knowing what the boy could do. It was more from him being a creepy, little child. Children, why'd it have to be children? Snakes or skydiving I could deal with, but kids? I think I deserve a break every once in a while.

"Mummy?"

The Doctor finally got the door opened. "Come on if you're coming. Won't take a minute." Unlike with Rose, he waited for my answer.

I shook my head. "Nah, nothing in there but boring people smoking and drinking. I'll stay out here, thank you very much."

He laughed. "Suit yourself, don't wander off, alright? Don't want you gettin' hurt."

I smiled, his concern sending warm flutters through my stomach. "I won't wander off unless I have to. Promise," I said. He gave me a grin and a swift kiss before retreating into the bar. Strolling briskly down the alley, I turned my attention to the rooftop gremlin. I could see him, even from my low vantage point, and a set of stairs that would lead up to the rooftop with the barrage balloon. Climbing up was easy, making myself hold onto a floating bomb wasn't.

"Mummy?"

Inhaling deeply to steel my nerves, I grasped the rope and started climbing. "Alright, you possessed cretin, don't you dare move, or I'll sonic you into next week," I growled under my breath.

"Are you my mummy?" the boy asked curiously, staring down at me. Goosebumps prickled along my skin when the gasmask's eyes connected with mine; I nearly released the rope.

"No," I huffed. "I am not your mummy."

He tilted his head to the side. "Mummy?"

I opened my mouth to give another useless retort when the rope slipped away from the building. I yelped in surprise; I hadn't thought it would've happened that quickly. Briefly, I thought about letting go but, by the time the thought occurred to me, I saw that I was already too high up.

"Well, guess I just have to wait for Jack to rescue me," I grumbled halfheartedly. I took the time to observe my new mode of transportation. Yep, just a giant, zeppelin-shaped balloon attacked to a rope. Dangling me over London. During the blitz. Speaking of which, I chanced a look down and gasped in amazement. Everything seemed so distorted from way up high: the buildings too small, bombs exploding, planes whipping past me. My fear melded into excitement and adrenaline. I was still afraid, but—

A whole squadron of screaming planes appeared from the darkness. I curled in on myself to cover up my shirt. _Maybe I should've picked something else . . . ._

More plans flew by, even closer than the last few. A gust of wind from one of them swung me from side to side, loosening my grip on the rope and forcing me to slide down a foot. Bombs exploded midair not far from me. _Oh God, this is not fun anymore._ I was starting to panic.

More gusts of wind twisted me from side to side. For a few seconds they died down, and I noticed I was facing a slightly familiar building. _Wait . . . is that . . . the building Jack's in?_ I thought dazedly. _Well, it's worth a shot._ Then I gave one of the windows the fiercest glare I could muster. I would've held it for longer, but a bomb forced me to lose my concentration.

"Oh God, this is not good. Not good at all. I swear to God, if that asshole doesn't hurry up and—" A bomb went off right under me. It startled me into letting go of the rope.

I didn't scream. I was proud of myself for that. Drop from a barrage balloon into a war zone from a deadly height? No problem.

Right. No one believes me anyway, so I might as well tell the truth. I was terrified. I stopped breathing. My lungs felt as if they were collapsing in on themselves. My heart seemed to stop beating for several seconds. All I felt was the rush of the air around me as I fell.

And then it stopped. I opened my eyes (When had I closed them?) to see I was caught in a tractor beam.

"Okay, okay, I've got you!" A teasing, albeit slightly annoyed voice called out.

Inhaling deeply to calm myself, I asked, "And you would be?"

"I'm just programming your descent pattern. Just stay as still as you can and keep all limbs inside the light field."

Refusing to pout because he'd ignored my question, I reached into my pocket for my phone. Predicting his next request would at least give me some credibility to my Time Agent persona.

"Thanks for turning off your phone; it really interferes with my instrument," he said.

Putting my phone back, I smiled politely. "No problem, but could ya speed it up a bit? I'm kinda hanging in the middle of a German air raid with a Union Jack across my front," I shouted evenly

Jack chuckled. Even though I felt guilty about it, I couldn't stop the blush that heated up my cheeks. Jack really did have a sexy laugh.

"Be with you in a mo'."

"M'kay . . . so I'll just . . . hang out . . . ." I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Okay, that was just awful. Can I take it back?"

Jack laughed again. "Sorry, no take backs. Okay, ready for you. Hold on tight."

I gave my best What-The-Hell face in the direction of the beam. "To what? The air? It hasn't exactly been much help up until now and I highly doubt it's going to change its ways just for me."

"Fair point."

Without another warning, I was being pulled in by the beam. I let out a very embarrassing squeak and prayed the Jack hadn't heard it. Another second later, and I was being cradled to a very well muscled man.

"Don't worry, I gotcha," he cooed. _Cooed._ "You're just fine. The tractor beam can scramble your head just a little." He trailed off into those attractive chuckles again.

I blinked the spots from my eyes and eventually closed them to try and get the world to stop spinning

"Hey, you alright? Do you have some sort of medical condition or something—" Jack started, concern peaking through his words.

I pressed the hand that wasn't fisted in the neck of his shirt to his mouth. "Just need a bit of shush until the world stops spinning, please and thank you," I murmured, groaning and flopping my head back.

A large smile spread out underneath my hand. I could practically see his intent.

"I swear to God, if you lick my hand, I will smack you," I grumbled with no real menace.

He chuckled again before licking a very thin, very faint line across my palm. His tongue retreated for him to flirt back, "Promise?"

Groaning mentally, I squirmed in Jack's grip, partly because I felt awkward being held this way by someone I only knew from a TV show; the other part because my traitorous hormones were reacting to his flirting, 51st Century hormones, and overall sexiness and while Jack was hot, I was potentially in love with The Doctor and had a very fresh and fragile relationship with him. I was not going to ruin that for a one night stand with Captain Harkness.

I removed my hand from his mouth. "I think it's time you put me down now, sir."

"Sir?" Jack raised an eyebrow, still smirking devilishly. "Now, now, we can't have any of that. Well, unless that's what you're into."

I gave him a very un-amused stare.

He sighed heavily, "It was fun while it lasted." He gently put me down.

I swayed slightly, but Jack was there to steady me. "You sure you're alright?" he asked again.

I waved off his concern. "I'm fine. I'm doing much better than I thought I would for my first time in a tractor beam. I just need to re-find my center of gravity." After another second or two or swaying, I tilted my head at an angle and everything was fine. No swaying, no spots, no queasiness. "Huh," I said, frowning.

"What?"

I blinked. "Oh, nothing, everything's fine now."

"Really?" Jack asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, why?"

"'Cuz ya looked a bit out of it there for a minute."

"Yeah, just got my equilibrium back, that's all," I said. "Good thing, too, I did not want to pass out."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that normally happens with first timers. Surprised you didn't faint, though."

I shrugged and offered, "Must be lucky." Brushing myself off, I started to inspect the inner workings of Jack's ship. Strangely, I could identify that this was a Chula ship, just by the way everything was placed. I knew what several of the buttons would do; I could probably even fly the thing if I needed to. A twinge of worry gnawed at my gut. How'd I know those things? They weren't explained in the show.

I would've spent the next hour trying to figure what was going on, but Jack cleared his throat. I spun around to face him, trying not to show my embarrassment but he seemed to see it anyway, if his coy smile was anything to go by.

I avoided looking directly at him, instead asking, "You've got lights in here?"

"Yes, I do," he purred and strolled over to the pilot seat, flicking on the lights before gracefully sitting down. He smiled. "Hello."

"Hello," I quietly repeated, shuffling just a bit closer to him. "So, who are you?"

"Captain Jack Harkness: 133 squadron, Royal Air Force, American volunteer," he said smoothly, taking out a wallet and handing it to me.

It was my turn to smirk. "Liar," I mocked, dragging my eyes up from the message to give him a smug look for a few seconds. "This is psychic paper. It tells me whatever you want it to tell me."

Jack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "How do you know?"

"Well, first off, my partner uses this all the time, and second, you just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out," I finished, not even trying to hide my teasing.

"Tricky thing, psychic paper," Jack attempted to cover himself, but I just shook my head.

"Best not to try," I snickered and handed the wallet back to him.

He laughed embarrassedly, looking away from me and then at the paper. Jack seemed to pout for a bit, but then he sighed. "Oh well."

I tilted my head inquisitively. "What?"

He read what was on the paper out loud, "'Name's Dahlia Tombew. Sorry, not available, but flattered at your interest'. Damn."

I mouthed 'Oh'. "Didn't mean to think that. Sorry."

Jack waved off my apologies. "It's fine; at least you let me down easy."

I stood and stretched. "How 'bout we try and get along without the psychic paper, hm?"

"That would probably be best," Jack said wryly, standing as well.

I walked around the ship, examining everything. "Nice ship," I commented. "Though, I don't see many humans piloting Chula ships."

Jack shrugged. "It gets me around. How'd you know it was Chula?"

"It's a bit too compact for human design, and the Chula people are a bit slimmer than us. Also, there's the manufacturing information right there," I stated, pointing to a section of beaming.

He smiled. "Can't get anything past you, can I?"

I continued to inspect a very interesting vent. I don't know why it was interesting, I just knew it was. Maybe the design? "Don't feel bad, not a lot of people can. My partner has kinda rubbed off on me in that way. You know, the whole everything's important so notice everything?" I said offhandedly, trailing my fingers over a newly repaired section of wiring. _Impressive work . . . ._ "So where're you from? Not from around here, that's for sure."

"Cell phone, fabrics that won't be around for at least another two decades, and a sonic device," Jack rambled off, looking at the scanner on his wrist. "I'm guessing you're not a local girl."

"You're guessing right." I leaned over the pilot's chair to get a better look at a scanner, bracing my weight on one of my hands, but instantly recoiled, a hiss escaping from between my teeth. I glared at my injured palms. It didn't hurt that bad, definitely not as much as the burns I had received from Platform One but the pain was still a surprise.

"You burn your hands on the rope?" Jack asked, craning his neck slightly to inspect the damage.

I nodded. "Yeah, no big deal. I've had worse."

A bomb fell, shrilly shrieking until it hit the ground. I frowned. "Those people down there . . . we are cloaked, aren't we?"

Jack nodded. "Of course. Can I have a look at your hands for a moment?"

I feigned suspicion and hoped Jack bought it. He held out his hand. "Please?" Huffing, I gave in, holding out my hands, palms upward. Jack moved to my side and waved a buzzing tool over them. "You can stop acting now," he said. "I know exactly who you are. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away."

Snickering, I looked him in the eye. "I was wondering when you were gonna bring it up."

"I've been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though, I didn't expect one to come by barrage balloon. You always travel that way?" Jack inquired, leaning just a fraction closer.

I laughed, saying, "No, normally I get around in a big, blue box." The confused expression on Jack's face forced me into another round of snickers.

He pointedly ignored my laughing at his expense and tied his scarf around my hands. "Just try and hold still," he said, pressing a few switches behind me. A glowing group of what looked like gnats hovered in my palms. "Nanogenes, subatomic robots, the air's full of them."

The nanogenes expanded and contracted their sphere, causing my skin to tingle as it healed.

Jack turned off the switches he had pressed earlier. The nanogenes faded. "They just repaired three layers of your skin," he said, unwinding the scarf from my wrists.

"Impressive," I murmured, running my fingers along the newly repaired skin of both palms.

Jack grinned and stood, moving to gather something from a fridge-like device. "Let's get down to business."

"Yeah, we probably should," I said absentmindedly.

He held a bottle of champagne in one hand and offered, "Shall we have a drink on the balcony?" A ramp descended from the ceiling. "Bring up the glasses."

Attempting to smother a smile, I grabbed two glasses and followed him onto the roof of the ship.

When I first stepped out onto the roof, paranoia made me step lightly everywhere, even though I knew the ship was large. Forgive me if I actually want to see what I'm standing on several hundred feet in the air.

Jack was fishing for a corkscrew in his pocket. While he did so, I took the time to take in the sights. We were tethered to Big Ben; London was tiny below our feet; fires raged beneath us. I shoved the nagging part of my mind that wanted to make unhelpful connections away, but I still shuddered at the sight of the war playing out. Jack looked at me from the corner of his eye. "You alright?" he asked.

I forced myself to focus on him instead of everything else. Smiling thinly, I forced a laugh, "Yeah, fine, I'd just prefer to see what I'm standing on."

He grinned and laughed in an attempt to lighten my suddenly darker mood. Reaching into another part of his jumpsuit, he pulled out a small device and clicked it on. The cloaking device slowly faded away, revealing the Chula ship beneath.

My brain immediately seized the new opportunity for a distraction. I started examining the ship as best as I could from where I was standing. "Your ship's been remarkably well taken care of, especially since it's . . . ." I made a show of turning around to fully take in the giant clock tower, "tethered to Big Ben."

"First rule of active combat: park somewhere you remember," Jack said slyly, popping the cork on the bottle, startling me into jumping half a foot away from him. He laughed and eased me closer by taking one of my wrists in a gentle hold, pouring us both drinks and then taking one for himself. He sat down, motioning for me to do the same.

"Now, as much as I enjoy a nice drink on top of a ship tied up to Big Ben, I believe we have something to discuss," I hummed, sipping my drink.

Jack smirked. "Yes, we do." He downed his drink in one go. "Are you traveling alone? Are you authorized to negotiate with me?"

"Depends on what we're negotiating," I said matter-of-factly, deciding to finish my drink, as well.

Jack leaned forward. "I have something for the Time Agency, something they'd like to buy. Are you empowered to make payment?"

I sighed, "I normally discuss business deals with my companion. He gets in a right fit when I leave him out of the loop for too long."

A look of surprise took over Jack's face. "Companion?"

I stood up and brushed myself off. "Yeah," I muttered. "I should really be getting back to him. He's probably worried sick by now. He tends to panic when I 'wander off'."

Standing, Jack said disbelievingly, "Him?"

"Yes, him."

He cleared his throat and, using the same little device from earlier, activated Big Ben. Its ring echoed, but not deafeningly.

I laughed softly. "Now you're just showing off."

Jack flashed me a charming smile and moved closer to me, putting both his hands on my waist. A flash of heat went through my gut at the touch. I was suddenly in a different place, Skiliaron Seventy-Four to be precise. The Doctor and I had just toppled a malevolent corporation that was stealing people's kidneys and selling them for the highest bidder. We were at some fancy restaurant that required reservations, but The Doctor had used psychic paper to get us in. And we were dancing. I was cradled impossibly close to his chest while he hummed along with the classical alien arrangement we were dancing to, pressing kisses into my hair at random intervals.

I know I'm not one for romance, but _wow_ . . . when he wanted to, The Doctor could turn me into a swooning pile of goo.

"So, when you say companion," Jack continued, sidling a bit closer and interrupting my reminiscing, "you mean . . . ."

I looked him in the eyes and gave him my best I'm-Sorry look. "I mean my lover." _Whoa now. Back up. Why the hell did I say _lover_? I was going to say boyfriend! Why couldn't I have said boyfriend? It sounded so, so . . . much more . . . adolescent. _I fought the urge to not scowl at myself. Of course I wouldn't (couldn't) use the word boyfriend to describe The Doctor. It didn't even begin to cover a fraction of what he was to me. So, for now, lover would have to do.

Jack immediately slumped in disappointment, muttering a curse under his breath. I was intrigued when, even though he knew I was taken, he still kissed my hand.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Jack asked, ever so slightly backing off.

Surprised, I blinked. "Well, no, but I am wondering why you're hitting on me when we're standing on a spaceship in the middle of an air raid when you know I'm taken." Then an idea dawned on me and a corner of my mouth curled into a smirk. "Are you attempting to get on my good side in the chance that I would propose a threesome to my companion? Or did you just want me to put in a good word for you?"

He returned my smirk and leaned in to murmur, "I was just trying to be a gentleman, but if you think it's a possibility . . . ."

I teased, "We'll see, but don't count on it. He's very . . . possessive."

"I'll keep that in mind. Now," he let me have my personal space back, "do you like Glenn Miller?"

He didn't give me time to answer, just pressed that little device again and music started playing. He repositioned his grip on me and we started swaying.

"It's 1941; height of the London blitz, height of the German bombing campaign, and something else has fallen on London- a fully equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence, armed to the teeth, and I know where it is because I parked it," Jack informed me while we danced. "If the agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is gonna fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now shall we discuss payment?"

I smiled. "So, Mr. Now-I'm-A-Freelance, this is what you do?"

"I prefer to think of myself as a criminal," Jack purred.

"Uh-huh," I hummed, raising an eyebrow.

"So this companion of yours, does he handle the business?"

"I guess it depends," I huffed. "But, it's really best if I talk to him. Officially, we're the same rank, but he tends to want to get big headed since he's been with the agency longer. Like I said, he'll throw a fit if I make a decision without him."

Jack frowned. "He seems kind of controlling."

I shook my head. "No, he's just been on his own for a while and he's seen a lot of people get hurt on the job. He just wants to protect me."

"You don't seem to need protecting," Jack noted, glancing me up and down.

I smiled crookedly and said, "No, I don't, but that's not gonna stop him from trying." I broke away from Jack. "We better go find him if you want to discuss business. So come on, scan for alien tech. The faster we get there, the less annoyed he'll be when we get there."

Jack snorted and fiddled with his wristband. "One scan for alien tech coming right up."

* * *

The trip to the hospital took a surprisingly short amount of time.

Jack had been prepared to break in but the gates were unlocked. We walked through the dingy hallways of the hospital; each of us called out to see if anybody was here. Jack was decidedly louder than I was. Unsurprisingly, we didn't have to go far before The Doctor emerged through a pair of double doors at the end of the corridor.

His face lit up when he saw me and I beamed back. I would've given him a hug, but Jack intercepted him first, shaking his hand and greeting The Doctor with a warm smile, "Good evening, I hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness, I've been hearing all about you on the way over."

Remaining as profession as possible, I told The Doctor, "He knows we're Time Agents. Sorry, but I had to tell him."

The Doctor immediately nodded, understanding the plan.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mr. Spock," Jack said, slapping The Doctor on the back.

The Time Lord gave me a bemused glance. I just winked in explanation. He seemed to like that, a sly smirk creeping onto his mouth. Jack didn't seem to notice and brushed past us to enter the room The Doctor had just left.

"Mr. Spock?" The Doctor asked me, stepping closer to stare me down, literally.

I snickered. "What was I supposed to say? 'The Doctor'? He never would've believed that! And I _like_ Spock. You should be honored that I used that as your alias instead of something Klingon."

"Yeah, yeah," he snorted. "Now where have you been? We're in the middle of a London blitz; it's not a good time for a stroll. And you promised you wouldn't wander off." His tone stated very plainly that he was hurt by my apparent deception.

Wincing, I took his hand. "Sorry about not telling you, but I had to. And I promised that I wouldn't wander off unless I had to, so I didn't lie." We walked toward the double doors. "And I didn't walk. I went by barrage balloon. Only way to see an air raid."

"What?" he spat.

"Never mind that, we have more important things to worry about."

"What could be more important than you apparently gallivanting off by barrage balloon?" he hissed, glaring at me.

I rolled my eyes. "There's a Chula warship in London."

The Doctor stopped walking altogether. "Chula?" he mumbled under his breath.

* * *

Back in the hospital room, Jack was examining the patients. "This is impossible. How did this happen?" he barked to the air.

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" The Doctor asked.

Jack whirled around, frowning. "What?"

I answered for him, "He said it was a warship. He stole it . . . parked it somewhere out there where a bomb's gonna fall on it unless we make him an offer."

"What kind of warship?" The Doctor asked, this time a bit louder. I could tell his patience was wearing thin.

Jack stopped pacing to whirl around and face us. "Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this!"

"This started at the bomb site; it's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship?" The Doctor was close to snarling now as he stared Jack down, advancing on him.

"An ambulance!" Jack snapped. "Look, that's what you chased through the Time Vortex." He activated his wristband and showed us a model of the Chula ship. "It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle and love the retro look by the way, nice panels, threw ya the bait. I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you had the chance to find out it was junk." He gave us one last scowl before walking a few feet away form us.

"It's a con," he admitted. "I was conning you, that's what I am. I'm a conman. I thought you were Time Agents; you're not, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, just a couple more freelancers."

"Oh! Shoulda known. The way you guys are blending in with the local color. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, but you Boat Captain?" Jack scowled at us. "Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship."

"Doctor, you want to explain what's happening here, or should I?" I asked quietly, watching his face for any sign of the Oncoming Storm.

The Doctor took the initiative: "Human DNA is being rewritten . . . by an idiot. I think it's some kind of virus, but I don't know. It's converting human beings into these things but why?" He looked around at all the patients. "What's the point?"

I shuffled over to one of the patients. I made sure not to stand too close, but still jumped away in fright when it suddenly sat upright. All the other patients followed suite, calling out "Mummy!" over and over again.

I stumbled back to The Doctor, groping blindly for his hand. He intertwined his fingers with mine, gripping my small hand in his large and calloused one protectively.

"Oh God, I hate this part," I whined lowly, bordering on whimpering.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, standing close to us, as well.

The patients got out of their beds. All of them were staring at us.

The Doctor said, "I don't know."

Still calling out "Mummy!", the patients advanced on us. We all backed up toward the doors. The Doctor maneuvered me behind his body, still clutching my hand. "Don't let them touch you," he ordered sternly.

"What happens if they touch us?" Jack asked nervously.

"You're looking at it," The Doctor replied.

I swallowed thickly. My breath was coming in short pants now. The only thing keeping me from bolting out the doors was The Doctor's hand. The gasmask people were getting closer. Their stiff, gaiting walks reminded me of an old horror film.

I really wished The Doctor would hurry up with that epiphany.

**I really didn't think I would get this chapter out so soon. Maybe I'm trying to make up for dragging the last one out. Anyway, hope you liked it, thank you for reading, and please review!**


	17. Everybody Lives

**Hello everyone! Yeah . . . this was supposed to be up a few days ago but I kinda got addicted to Tumblr. If you want my tumblr, I'll be happy to give it to you! So far there's mostly just a bunch of fandom stuff I've reblogged, but maybe some people will find it amusing.**

* * *

"Go to your room." The Doctor's words echoed out, silencing the gasmask people with the stern tone of a very disappointed parent. "Go to your room," he repeated. The patients stopped moving. The Doctor glared at them all, snapping, "Go to your room!" The gasmask people all tilted their head in the same direction, giving him a creepy version of a confused stare. "I mean it! I am very, very angry with you. I am very, VERY cross! Go. To. Your. ROOM!" he bellowed finally, violently pointing up and to the left with his free hand.

The Doctor, Jack, and I watched with halted breath as each of the gasmask people shuffled around and went back to their individual beds. The Doctor held his irritated pose until all of them were lying down peacefully. Finally, he sighed, "I'm really glad that worked. Those would've been _terrible_ last words."

I gave a short, delirious giggle.

* * *

Jack was sitting in Dr. Constantine's now abandoned chair with his feet propped up on the table. I had decided not to follow Rose's example of examining the gasmask people. I could see them just fine from my place pressed up against The Doctor with his arm firmly around my waist.

"How was your con supposed to work?" The Doctor asked Jack, trying to fill in the missing pieces of his puzzle.

I was almost disappointed in Jack. He was being so stubborn and still wasn't admitting that this was mostly his fault, however unintentionally it may have been. But I could see where he was coming from. Who wanted to be responsible for this mess? Then there was his lack of knowledge about Chula ambulances to be considered. It was obvious that, had he known more about the 'space junk', he wouldn't have crash landed it in the middle of London during the blitz.

"Simple enough, really," Jack answered. "Find some harmless piece of space-junk; let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth. Convince him it's valuable and name a price. When he's put 50% up front- oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for. Never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

The Doctor scoffed, "Yeah. Perfect." He was clenching his jaw, attempting to mask the rage that boiled underneath the surface.

Jack started talking again: "The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it though. But you've got to set your alarm for Volcano Day." He laughed at his joke.

I cringed, averting my eyes from him while The Doctor continued giving him a blank stare.

Jack's laughter died away. "Getting a hint of disapproval."

I face palmed, groaning irritably. "Oh my God you're stupid." Jack's jaw clenched and he glowered at me. "Jack!" I hissed, motioning around the room. "Look around. This is what your 'harmless piece of space junk' did."

"It was a burnt-out medical transporter, it was empty," he growled back, staring me down.

His glare didn't ruffle my feathers at all. I just gave him a very bored, unimpressed stare, as if to ask 'Really? You think that's going to work?'.

The Doctor squeezed my hip. "Dahlia."

I slowly peeled my gaze away from Jack, meeting The Doctor's eyes. Sighing, I nodded. "I know. Time to go upstairs."

Jack left his seat, calling out, "I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living. I harmed no-one!" He continued gravely, "I don't know what's happening here, but believe me. I had nothing to do with it."

The Doctor just looked back at him and replied sardonically, "I'll tell you what's happening. You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's Volcano Day."

A siren went off somewhere outside. The Doctor and I walked out of the ward. Jack followed. We walked up a set of stairs until we were greeted by a large, locked metal door.

"Have you got a blaster?" The Doctor asked, looking over his shoulder at Jack.

Jack nodded. "Sure!"

The Doctor continued to watch Jack. "The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt. This was where they were taken. I want to know what happened. Now get it open."

Jack moved past him, pulling out a gun-like object that had a glowing blue light in the middle and pointing it at the door. The blaster cut a perfect square in the door's lock, causing it to open squeakily.

"Sonic blaster, 51st century. Weapon Factories of Villengard," The Doctor noted.

Jack gave him an interested look. "You've been to the factories?"

Taking the blaster from Jack to examine it better, The Doctor answered shortly, "Once."

"Well, they're gone now, destroyed. Main reactor went critical, vaporized the lot," Jack said dejectedly.

"Like I said. Once." The Doctor handed the blaster back to its owner. "There's a banana grove there now. I like bananas. Bananas are good." Before entering the room, he smiled like it was an everyday thing to hint that you had blown up a weapons factory. Though, for him it probably was.

I snorted at his ridiculousness. Jack frowned at me. Shrugging, I offered, "I'm a bit on the fence about that one. I for one don't see what's so great about bananas." Hesitating just long enough to catch Jack's amused smile, I followed The Doctor inside the room with Jack following close behind.

This was the observation room for Jamie's actual room. The glass window looked like someone had smashed a brick through it, scattering glass everywhere. Nearly every inch of machinery was trashed. Broken objects had been flung every which way; there were even a few chairs overturned.

The Doctor looked up from the wreckage over to Jack. "What do you think?"

"_Something_ got out of here," Jack answered curtly.

The Doctor didn't let him off that easily and pressed on, "Yeah. And?"

Jack's stance told me he wanted to roll his eyes. "Something powerful. Angry."

Nodding at the acceptable answer, The Doctor repeated, "Powerful and angry."

Jack and I walked farther into the room, finally entering the room beyond the one we were in. It was a child's room. There was a small bed, broken and not broken toys, and every surface available to a four year old was covered in colorful drawings.

Jack frowned and asked, "A child? I suppose this explains the 'Mummy'."

The Doctor, who had been inspecting the equipment behind the glass, flicked the recorder on. Doctor Constantine's voice broke the silence of the room: "Do you know where you are?"

Jamie responded, "Are you my mummy?"

"Are you aware of what's around you? Can you . . . see?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"What do you want? Do you know—"

"I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? I want my mummy. Are you my mummy?"

I hugged myself to keep the chills at bay. This part was way worse in person. Jamie was just an innocent child, a powerful, scared child, but innocent nonetheless. He didn't know what he was doing. He was four for God's sake! Normal four year olds could barely comprehend the world around them, let alone one whose genetics were rewritten.

Looking at the drawings only succeeded in making me feel worse. Every single one of them was a different variation of female.

"Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

I twitched. "Doctor, we've heard that voice before."

"We have."

"Mummy?"

Even though I didn't need to say it, I started rambling, "Always 'are you my mummy?'. Like he doesn't know." I shivered. "Why doesn't he know?"

"Are you there, Mummy? Mummy?"

The Doctor started pacing. The recorder's reels continued to spin, filling the room with Jamie's voice. "Mummy? Please, mummy? Mummy?"

"Can you sense it?" The Doctor asked, his tone showing how stressed he was becoming.

Jack frowned. "Sense what?"

"Coming out of the walls, can you feel it?"

I shuddered. Yes, I could feel it. It wasn't much, just enough that I could feel the despair, confusion, and anger seeping from every one of the drawings and into my skin, chilling me to my core. I felt violated and confused. How could I feel what The Doctor was feeling? I'm just a human. I should be confused like Jack.

"Mummy?"

"Funny little human brains, how do you get around in those things?" The Doctor snipped.

To keep my mind off the feelings, I continued saying Rose's lines. "When he's stressed, he likes to insult species," I explained to Jack, giving him a tired smile.

"Dahlia, I'm thinkin'," The Doctor grumbled, still pacing.

I ignored him. "Cuts himself shaving. Does half an hour in life forms he's cleverer than."

"There are these children living rough around the bomb site. They come out during air-raids looking for food," he said, more to himself than to us. He had stopped in front of the broken window and was staring at Jack and me.

"Mummy, please?"

"Suppose they were there when this thing-whatever it was-landed," The Doctor continued.

Jack interrupted, "It was a med-ship. It was harmless."

"Yes, you keep saying that 'Harmless'." The Doctor threw a glare at Jack and then looked at me. "Suppose one of them was altered-affected?"

Despite the chills I still felt, I smiled, and contributed to The Doctor's train of thought: "Altered how?"

"I'm here!"

Then everything clicked into place in The Doctor's chaotic mind. I could practically hear the clank of machinery as it spun, and then the screech as it halted so he could examine his findings. "It's afraid. Terribly afraid, and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will do." He laughed anxiously and smiled. "It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room."

Jack swallowed uneasily. "What's that noise?" We all focused more on the crackling sound.

I forced a laugh. "End of the tape. It ran out about 30 seconds ago."

"I'm here, now. Can't you see me?"

"I sent it to its room. _This_ is its room," The Doctor choked out, spinning around. Jamie was standing in the observation room, staring at all of us.

Cocking his head to the side, Jamie asked, "Are you my mummy?" The eyes of the gasmask seemed to bore right through me as he continued to stare. "Mummy?" The Doctor shifted ever so slightly in front of me to shield me from the child's stare.

Jack inched toward the door and muttered to us, "Okay . . . on my signal . . . make for the door. Now!" He reached for his blaster, only to draw a banana instead and brandish it threateningly at Jamie while his hand rested on The Doctor's shoulder.

I probably shouldn't have laughed but I did. It had been ridiculous onscreen and was even more ridiculous in real life.

The Doctor grinned and pulled out Jack's blaster. He aimed it at the wall and pulled the trigger, causing an oversized, square hole to appear. "Go! Now! Don't drop the banana!" he ordered.

Since Jack was being slow, I jumped through the hole first, dragging Jack along back his coat. The Doctor followed right after us.

"Why not?!" Jack barked to The Doctor in confusion.

Grinning, he replied cheekily, "Good source of potassium!"

We were in one of the hospital's corridors now. Jack looked like he wanted to punch The Doctor, but when Jamie appeared a few feet from our exit he changed his mind and snatched his blaster back from The Doctor. "Give me that!" he growled, firing the blaster at the square hole and making it rebuild the wall. "Digital rewind," Jack clarified, tossing the banana to The Doctor. Jack praised him reluctantly. "Nice switch."

The Doctor smiled proudly. "It's from the Groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate."

"There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?" Jack exclaimed incredulously.

I cleared my throat, causing both men to turn to me. "Okay, hate to interrupt, but we should really start running now. That wall won't hold him forever." Right on time, Jamie slammed his tiny fist into the wall we had just exited through, leaving a very sizeable dent.

The Doctor grabbed my hand, yelling, "Come on!" We dashed down a flight of stairs and through a hall, only to quickly retreat back the way we had come when the patients from the medical ward burst from the room. We were back to where we started when another group of gasmask people advanced on us from the opposite direction. The child was still breaking through the wall.

"It's keeping us here so it can get at us!" The Doctor hissed.

Jack whipped back and forth, baffled by which group to use his blaster on. "It's controlling them?"

The Doctor scowled. "It _is_ them. It's every living thing in this hospital."

Jack shifted into military gear immediately. "Okay. This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon and it's a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Doc, whatcha got?"

The Doctor removed the sonic screwdriver from his jacket's pocket, giving a strained glance as he did. Despite the situation, I smirked at his panic. _He always has to seem impressive_, I thought mockingly.

"A sonic, er . . . . Oh, never mind," The Doctor growled.

"What?"

The Doctor faced the second group of gasmask people, moving me behind him and between the two men. "It's sonic, okay? Let's leave it at that."

"Disrupter? Cannon? What?" Jack demanded.

"It's sonic! Totally sonic! I am sonic-ed up!" _Oh God, Doctor, stop the bravado and just tell him!_

"A sonic what?!" _Fuck you, Jack. You're not supposed to encourage him._

"Screwdriver!" The Doctor finally admitted, shouting the word as if embarrassed by it.

Shocked, Jack whirled around to gape wordlessly at The Doctor, who was making a point of not making eye contact with the conman. Rolling my eyes in exasperation at the two morons, I grabbed Jack's wrist and pointed the blaster at the floor, shouting, "Brace for impact!" The floor disappeared the moment I pulled the trigger, and soon we were a tangled pile of limbs on the hard ground of the floor below the original one.

Jack was the first to move, grabbing his blaster and switching the settings before firing it up at the hole we'd fallen through to remake the ceiling.

I grunted and shifted into a sitting a position. "Everyone alright?"

"Could've used a warning," Jack grumbled, brushing dust off his coat.

I scoffed, "I did give you a warning. Not my problem if you didn't heed it."

Jack ignored me in favor of asking, "Who has a sonic screwdriver?"

The Doctor helped me up and answered indignantly, "I do!"

Rolling my eyes, I shuffled over to the far wall in search of a light switch. I tried to ignore their childish argument over their equipment, but it was a bit difficult when they were snapping at each other like dogs.

"Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks 'Oh, this could be a little more sonic'?"

"What, you've never been bored?"

I nearly stumbled into a desk; fumbling along the wall wasn't really helping.

"Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?"

Huffing, I mentally smacked myself for being an idiot. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my own sonic screwdriver. Clicking it to the right setting, I turned activated it and the lights immediately flicked on. I regretted the action as soon as I did it; I had forgotten the room was filled with gasmask people and the light had woken them up. Every single one of them was climbing out of his or her bed, crying out 'Mummy'.

The side door was easily spotted and we all rushed toward it. Jack tried to use his blaster but it only gave off a few short crackles of energy before dying. "Damn it!" he snarled.

The Doctor lightly shoved Jack out of the way, using his sonic to unlock the door. Jack smacked the blaster with his hand. "It's the special features, they really drain the battery."

"Note to self, Jack: Reliability trumps flashiness," I said flatly just as The Doctor opened the door.

We all rushed into a large storeroom. Boxes of random stuff littered the entire room. There was only one window and it was covered in metal bars. Jack peered out of it, heatedly spitting, "I was gonna send for another one, but _somebody's_ got to blow up the factory." He glared over his shoulder at The Doctor, who was relocking the door.

"Okay, that door should hold a bit," The Doctor said, walking further into the room.

Jack jumped down from where he had been standing. "The door? The _wall_ didn't stop it!"

"Well, it's gotta _find_ us first! Come on, we're not done yet! Assets, assets!" The Doctor barked.

Jack scoffed, "Well, I've got a banana, and at a pinch you could put up some shelves."

Taking out my sonic, I waggled it in front of Jack. "It does a lot more than just put up shelves, dude. Believe me, I know." _But I do wish I had brought the laser screwdriver. It would've come in handy against the wall right about now. Though, in retrospect leaving it on the TARDIS was a better idea; can't risk The Doctor catching a glance at it._

The Doctor ignored Jack's obvious attempt at starting a fight and wandered over to the window to peer outside. "Window?"

Sitting in a wheelchair and smoothing over his irritation by a fraction, Jack recited, "Barred, sheer drop outside. Seven stories."

"And no other exits," I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against a shelf.

Jack snorts and sardonically notes, "Well, the assets conversation went in a flash, didn't it?"

Glaring at him from the corner of my eye, I briefly considered punching him in the face but decided against it. I had the feeling I would be hurt worse than he would.

_**Just tell your dear Doctor to, he'll be happy to do it for you**_, Koschei whispered, chuckling darkly. I caught the briefest flash of The Doctor punching Jack as it rolled through my mind and I was sure the thought hadn't been mine. I suppressed my laughter; The Doctor and Jack would think I was crazy if I randomly started giggling.

_I've missed you, Koschei. Where have you been? _He had been absent for the past two weeks and I had begun to think he'd vanished.

_**Oh, you know, just wandering around in your head, trying not to pay attention to you two fucking each other at every opportunity**_, he drawled lazily.

My cheeks flushed slightly as I fazed back into real life. _Shut up._

The Doctor was staring at Jack, analyzing him before turning to me with a sour look on his face. "So, where'd you pick this one up, then?"

I opened my mouth to respond but Jack beat me to it: "She was hanging from a barrage balloon. I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a _chance_."

The Doctor looked him dead in the eyes and said, "You're right, you didn't." Then he turned back to the window. "Okay. One, we've got to get out of here. Two, we _can't_ get out of here. Have I missed anything?"

Jack took that opportunity to use his teleport, leaving with barely a sound. I huffed slightly, even though I knew he wasn't going to leave us here; he could've at least told us his plan. "Doctor," I called out, "Jack's gone."

He whirled around to stare at the now empty wheelchair.

* * *

The Doctor and I hadn't done much since Jack had disappeared. The Doctor had initially given me very sour looks when he sat in the unoccupied wheelchair, obviously upset about something, and I hadn't taken me long to catch on. So, snorting at his childish response, I plopped myself down on his lap and kissed him as roughly and possessively as I could, only pulling away when I desperately needed oxygen.

"Now stop looking at me with that hurt puppy look," I reprimanded him. "I don't like Jack like that. He's just going to be a good friend after this. Understand?"

He barely let out a vague 'Mm-hm' before curling a hand around the back of my neck and pulling me in for another long kiss. I was just contemplating wiggling out of my pants when the old radio behind me crackled to life. Jack's voice came through loud and clear. "Dahlia? Doctor? Can you hear me?"

Making a frustrated noise at the back of my throat, I regretfully slid off The Doctor's lap. He gave me a small smile and pecked my lips. Then he inspected the radio. Seconds later he held up the frayed ends of the radio's wires.

Jack continued on: "I'm back on my ship. Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you. It's security-keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it. Hang in there." A whirring noise came from his side of the com.

The Doctor frowned. "How're you speaking to us?"

"Om-Com," Jack supplied easily, the sound of tools being used in the background. "I can call anything with a speaker grill."

The frown turned into an impassive line. "Now there's a coincidence."

"What is?" Jack asked curiously.

"The child can Om-Com, too."

"What, you mean the child can call you?" Jack sputtered incredulously.

Jaime's voice suddenly fizzed from the radio in a very sing-songy voice. "And I can hear you. Coming to find you. Coming to fi~nd you."

I shuddered. Jack spoke up, "Doctor, can you hear that?"

"Loud and clear."

"I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do."

"Coming to find you, Mummy!"

"Remember this, Dahlia?" Jack chuckled, and the same Glenn Miller ballad from early began to play through the speakers. _Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it . . . _"Our song," he added teasingly after a moment of silence.

I scowled at the ground. Great. Now I'd have to deal with explaining to The Doctor that didn't mean anything. Thanks, Jack.

* * *

I was sitting down in the wheelchair, silently cursing Jack and that stupid Glenn Miller song that was still playing on a loop, silently driving me insane. The Doctor hadn't spoken since Jack had last talked to us and was now standing at the window, attempting to resonate concrete.

"You don't think he's coming back, do you?" I asked quietly.

"Wouldn't bet my life," he retorted snappishly.

"He's coming back."

"Why do you trust him?" he nearly growled, tightening his grip on the sonic.

I rose from my seat. "He saved my life. He didn't have to, and he's a good man, Doctor. Naïve and cocky? Yes, but he isn't a bad person and you know that." I scowled when The Doctor didn't respond. "This isn't about Jack, is it?" Still no response. Glenn Miller continued to play.

"D'ya like 'im?" The Doctor asked softly.

Groaning, I squeezed the bridge of my nose to fend off a headache. "I like him as a friend, Doctor. I've already told you. You have nothing to worry about."

The muscles in The Doctor's shoulders twitched; he was considering what I was telling him. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What did he mean by this being your song?"

I inched closer to him and sighed tiredly, "A bit after Jack rescued me from the barrage balloon, we went on top of his ship. We each had a glass of champagne, he started playing this song, we danced for a bit, and we talked business about the Chula ship. It doesn't mean anything. It's just something he's using to tease me."

"You _danced_ with him?"

I mentally face-palmed. _Please, feel free to ignore everything I've been rambling about for the past five minutes and single out one insignificant detail. I won't mind at all._ "Yes, we swayed back and forth to Glenn Miller, but you know what?"

That did a good job of peaking his interest. Pausing in his work on the concrete, The Doctor half turned to look at me over his shoulder. "What?"

Shuffling forward, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face into his back, inhaling the wonderful leather scent. "None of it felt right. I kept thinking about Skiliaron Seventy-Four and when we danced," I mumbled, nuzzling his jacket. "And I'm not really Glenn Miller's biggest fan."

The Doctor was quiet for a long while. I was afraid he had decided to just ignore me, but then his arms dropped from where they were still braced against the window. One of his calloused hands came to rest over mine at his front. "Then why the hell is this rubbish still playing?" he snorted, flicking the sonic to the radio. The screwdriver buzzed; Glenn Miller instantly switched to a familiar song. A classical alien arrangement I had only heard once but would never forget. The Doctor loosened my hold around his waist just enough so that he could turn around and step down from the window.

I grinned and pulled him further away from the window. "May I have this dance?" I asked flirtatiously.

"I really should be resonating concrete," he mumbled half-heartedly, not resisting my insistent tugs.

Snickering, I placed his hands on my waist and mine around his neck, sidling as close to him as humanly possible. "Jack'll be back, he'll get us out. Trust me. The world doesn't end because The Doctor dances."

He returned my grin, tightening his grip on my waist. Swaying to the music, he leaned down to give me a slow kiss. I happily returned it and attempted to quicken its pace, but was thwarted when The Doctor nipped my bottom lip as punishment. Refusing to submit, I lightly tugged on his hair, hoping he would take the bait. Instead, he pulled away and gave me a peck, humming against my lips, "Barrage balloon?"

Pouting, I explained, "Jack has nanogenes in his ship that took care of the rope burn. It wasn't that bad in the first place, so don't look at me like that. And no, the nanogenes aren't as impressive as your Time Lord medicine."

Looking thoroughly pleased, The Doctor leaned in for another kiss, this one fiercer than the last. We had stopped swaying to the music and were just standing there, making out like we weren't trapped in the storeroom of a hospital during World War II while the gasmask child tracked us down.

All in all, pretty good day, you know, besides the nearly dying parts. So, of course The Doctor's hands started wandering. At first it was only a little, just his thumbs making small circles on my hip bones, but then his fingers slipped under my shirt, inching upwards until he was caressing the skin under the edge of my bra. My breath hitched when he stroked the underside of my breast and a moan started low in my throat.

"Most people notice when they've been teleported, not that I blame you two," Jack purred from seemingly nowhere.

The Doctor and I jerked apart and I mourned the loss of his hands on my skin. We both gave Jack dirty looks; I couldn't make mine as angry as I wanted to once I caught the way Jack was eyeing both of us. I was suddenly reminded of what I had told Jack. Would I really ask The Doctor about a threesome? Should I? Did I even _want_ a threesome? I wasn't sure about anything concerning that topic right now. And frankly, this wasn't the time or place to think about it.

" . . . Nav-Com offline to override the teleport security," Jack carried on, leaning under his chair to search through a compartment, muttering something about needing five minutes.

The Doctor scanned the ship's interior. "This is a Chula ship."

"Yeah, just like the medical transporter," Jack called out to us. He popped up from what he was doing to give us a stern look. "Only this one _is_ dangerous."

Snapping his fingers, The Doctor held out his hands, which were immediately covered in glowing nanogenes. "Sub-atomic robots. There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed . . . all better now. They activate when the bulkheads sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws." The Doctor waved the nanogenes away, sending Jack a glare. "Take us to the crash site. I need to see your 'space junk'."

Jack rolled his eyes, making a face as if The Doctor were a nagging wife. "As soon as I get the Nav-Com back online." He shrugged off The Doctor's second glare. "Make yourselves comfortable. Hell, carry on with what you were doing for all I care." Jack's eyes glanced over to me. "If I can't join in, I still love to watch." I blushed hotly, knowing exactly what he was referring to and trying to banish thoughts of Jack watching The Doctor and I. It was more of a turn on than I cared to admit.

The Doctor tried to play it off. "We were dancing."

Jack raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Sure. Dancing."

Turning to me, The Doctor shrugged helplessly. Still blushing, I looked down at the floor, scuffing my shoes against the metal grating and willing the awkward arousal away.

* * *

Jack was still working on his Nav-Com, had been for the past five minutes. The Doctor and I were leaning against opposite sides of the ship in silence.

"He offered you sex," The Doctor muttered darkly.

Blinking, I came out of my trance. "Hm?"

Face twisted into a grimace, he clarified, "The captain. He offered you sex when you two first met. Most likely when you were dancing on top of this ship."

I sighed gloomily and prayed this wouldn't be a shouting match. "Yes, he did."

"And?" he growled, threatening the floor with a painful death.

"I turned him down."

The Doctor snapped his head up to snag me with a suspicious look. "No, you didn't. If you had, then he wouldn't have made that comment earlier about 'watching if he couldn't join in'."

"At first he offered me sex, yes, but then he . . . well, after I told him I was already taken, I thought he was implying a . . . threesome," I offered softly, unable to meet The Doctor's eyes out of embarrassment.

I heard rather than saw his jaw fall open and then close with a clack. A few more seconds of silence and then: "Threesome?"

I nodded.

"And you thought about it?"

Another nod.

He cleared his throat. "Do you want one? With him? Is that what you want?"

I made a frustrated noise and glared irritably off to the side. "I don't know! I haven't even really thought about it, just the odd little thought here and there. I didn't even give Jack a straight answer, just that I'd have to talk it out with you first before deciding anything."

The Doctor perked up at that. "Really?" he asked. "You were going to ask me?"

I scoffed, "Of course I was! Do you really think I'd cheat on you? Yes, I thought about it, and yes, a part of me does want it but I won't do anything that compromises our relationship. I care about you and what we have too much to throw it away like that." My expression softened and I shifted uncomfortably. "A little faith would be nice," I mumbled almost too quiet to be heard.

"I'm sorry, love," The Doctor whispered, moving forward to cradle me close to his chest. I accepted his embrace gratefully.

"I don't mean to doubt you, I really don't. It's just . . . you're the first person I've felt this way for in a long time and I'm paranoid that everyone who looks at you with even the slightest interest is gonna steal you away from me," The Doctor mutters into my hair, squeezing me just a bit tighter as if to will away the gloominess of his tone. "I mean, why would ya want me when ya can have someone like Jack? He's closer to your age, attractive, and he's not boring, though he is kind of an arse."

Cuddling closer to his warmth, I sighed tiredly, "Okay, let's get a few things out of the way. One, I will never, ever leave you for someone else, especially not for some petty reason like age or attractiveness level. If I suddenly do decide to leave, you should immediately believe something's wrong with me and begin a thorough analysis for mind control.

"Second, I've practically sold my soul to you anyway, so you should stop worrying all the damn time. And third, let's both promise to get all the facts before we jump to conclusions. Getting angry at each other never turns out well. All we do is scream at each other." I waited for The Doctor's input, taking the time to inhale his soothing scent. Unsurprisingly, my headache was mollified by the intoxicating aroma.

"I can agree to those terms," he said, obviously smiling. "And thank you for dealing with me. I know it's not easy dealing with a paranoid Time Lord."

"You're welcome, Theta."

We had both forgotten where we were, which was made even clearer when we both jumped at the sound of Jack's voice. "Okay, we're ready to go."

* * *

Jack hadn't commented on the conversation he had surely overheard. He had only been a few feet away so he must have heard the entire thing. It's not like we had been particularly quiet; even our whispers had been blatantly obvious. In the end it didn't matter. I was just grateful he wasn't making cheap jokes and seemed to actually understand that the conversation was meant to be private, even if it concerned him.

We were rushing through the railway station now, weaving in and around the stagnant trains. We ducked behind a crate; the barbed wire surrounded bombsite was visible from our hidden position.

Jack took one look at the main guy and let out a chuckle. "Hey, they've got Algy on duty. Must be important."

The Doctor snorted impatiently. "We gotta get past him."

"Alright, Jack, work your 51st Century magic, and try not to drag it out too long. Some of us wouldn't like to be here all night watching you talk about dancing," I casually ordered, making a slight waving motion in his direction with my hand.

Jack grinned and stood. "I'll make sure to use my most successful techniques." He began walking toward the guard, waving back at us. "Don't wait up."

The Doctor leaned closer and whispered to me, breath fanning over my ear, "This would be the perfect opportunity to observe if he's as good as he wants us to believe he is."

I froze and slowly turned to face him. "Are you seriously trying to discuss the threesome idea when we're trying to get into a military guarded site?"

He shrugged, grinning slyly.

"I thought you wouldn't like the idea."

"Now that I know you won't do anything without my input, I think we should give it serious thought before simply saying no."

I scowled, barking, "We are _not_ talking about this now."

With a mischievous, very unmanly giggle, The Doctor turned his attention back to Jack, who was doing as I had ordered and seducing the sick looking head guard. As if on some sort of cue, Algy let out a ragged cough and fell to his knees. Bile swelled in my throat as Algy's face slowly morphed into a gasmask. Jack stumbled backwards, staring at the man in horror. Several soldiers saw what had happened and, shouting in surprise, started rushing over. The Doctor snapped at them, "Stay back!"

Jack backed him up. "You men, stay back!"

The Doctor and I rushed to Jack's side. Algy was lying motionless on the ground. The Doctor didn't pause. "The effect's become air-borne. Accelerating."

"What's keeping us safe?" Jack asked fearfully.

"Nothing," The Doctor answered bluntly. _Well, no one could ever accuse him of lying to make them feel better._

The air raid siren started wailing.

I huffed, "Great, just fuckin' great. Just what we need." I turned to Jack. "You did say a bomb was gonna land here, didn't you?"

While Jack nodded in confirmation, The Doctor dismissed the useless information easily. "Never mind about that. If the contaminant's airborne now, there's hours left."

Jack frowned. "'Til what?"

"'Til nothing. Forever. For the entire human race. And can anyone else hear singing?" The Doctor spouted, cocking his head in the direction of the singing.

We didn't hesitate to open up the shed where the singing was coming from. Nancy was there, handcuffed to the table with a gasmask person seemingly asleep. The Doctor silently told Nancy to keep singing. She did as she was told, the tears that had slowly been leaking from her eyes stopped even if she was still afraid.

"Rock-a-by baby," Nancy sang, jerking her handcuffed wrists and giving The Doctor a pleading look. ". . . on the treetops, when the wind blows the cradle will rock."

Brandishing his sonic, The Doctor moved toward her and kneeled. The sonic whirred and the handcuffs clicked open. He helped Nancy stand. Then the four of us quickly exited the tent, leaving the napping guard. From there we made our way to the bombsite, where Jack and The Doctor hurriedly removed the tarp uncovering the Chula med ship as enormous floodlights lit up the entire area. I climbed on top of the ship, wanting to observe as much as possible. Nancy hovered around the side of the ship, seeming to not know what to do with herself.

"You see? Just an ambulance," Jack insisted stubbornly.

Nancy asked a question and I felt rather than heard myself answer it; my lips moved and my tongue formed the sounds but all I heard was the fading scream of the siren and the soft buzz of what I knew to be nanogenes in the air. How could I hear them? Could The Doctor hear them? I don't understand . . . .

Jack messed with the controls of the ship. "They've been trying to get in."

The Doctor scoffed, "_Of course_ they have." His eyes scanned over Jack's hands as they entered a code into the control panel. "They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest weapon. What're you doing?"

"The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll see I had nothing to do with it," Jack spat, barely sparing The Doctor a glance.

The array of controls then took a few precious seconds to shower Jack with sparks and give the rest of us heart attacks by exploding. I nearly fell off the ship's roof, barely managing to get my balance back in time to stop myself from careening over the edge headfirst. The blaring alarm didn't help matters in the slightest.

"Didn't happen last time," Jack growled between clenched teeth.

The Doctor gave him an incredulous look, like that was the worst possible thing he could've said in the entire universe. While he continued to do that, I stole his line: "It didn't _crash_ last time. There'll be emergency protocols."

A red alarm started blaring. The gates began to rattle and shake.

"Captain, secure those gates," The Doctor ordered.

"Why?" _Oh my God, Jack, why are you being difficult? We might die and you're being difficult. Why're you being difficult?_

"For fuck's sake, Jack, just do it!" I barked, jumping down from the ship to the ground. Pulling out my sonic, I fiddled with the settings and calmly looked into the equally calm Nancy's eyes. "Where did you come in through?"

She jerked her head in the correct direction. "Over there, I cut the wire."

"Show me."

The Doctor didn't question or offer me advice. A large swell of pride bubbled over in my chest, threatening to stop my breathing. I wouldn't have minded if it had. The Doctor trusted me to get the job done and do it right. I wonder if he knew what that meant to me.

The grin he tossed me said he did.

* * *

"It's empty, look at it," Jack said victoriously after he opened the ship's hatch.

The Doctor, Nancy, and I stood around him. Snorting, The Doctor grunted, "What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter? Bandages? Cough drops? Dahlia?" He turned to me.

I folded my arms over my chest, answering simply, "Nanogenes."

"It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species," The Doctor told Jack.

Jack went incredibly pale and choked on his own spit. Stumbling back, he gasped out in horror. "Oh, God . . . ."

The Doctor's voice was grim and coldly condescending. "Getting it now, are we? When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night and wearing a gasmask."

Nancy gave The Doctor a stunned look. "They . . . they can do that? Bring someone back to life?"

The Time Lord rolled his eyes. "What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene. One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like," he growled angrily.

Even though I had heard this speech before, I was just as captivated at Jack and Nancy were.

"All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do, they patch it up. Can't tell what's gas-mask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. 'Cause you see, _now_ they _think_ they know what people should look like and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is gonna be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother. And _nothing_ in the world can stop it!" he finished, shouting bitterly at the end. The glare he caught Jack in could've killed an entire legion of Daleks.

Jack took the wrong path, deciding to defend himself instead of ask for forgiveness. "But I didn't know!"

I didn't follow The Doctor's example. Jack wouldn't respond to anger, not matter how justified. So, fixing the conman with a neutral stare, I said, "That doesn't matter. What's done is done and all we can do is try to fix it. Now stop acting like a child and help us."

Neither Jack nor The Doctor seemed keen on letting it go, but both finally relented and started examining the inside of the ship. The Doctor kept impatiently flipping through the sonic's many settings.

Nancy wasn't paying the warring men any attention; she was watching the distant fencing where the gasmask people were gathering. They were all screaming 'Mummy', just like before.

"Dahlia?" Nancy called out to me in fright.

I stepped up to her side and frowned. The gasmask people were slowly making their way over the railway tracks to us. They were far off in the distance, but anytime they were in sight was too close.

Nancy turned to look back at the ship and its flashing red console. "It's drawing them here, isn't it?"

I nodded. "The ship thinks it's under attack. It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol."

She frowned and narrowed her eyes at me. "But they aren't troops."

I sighed and leaned against the med-ship's side. "They are now." I examined my own sonic as I explained, "This is a battlefield ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up; they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, program you. That's what they're made for."

"That's why the child's so strong? Why it could use the Om-Com?" It was Jack who had asked this time.

"He's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes. All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy, and now there's an army of them," I answered from memory.

Now completely surrounding the fenced in area, the gasmask people paused, still calling out 'Mummy'.

Jack asked, "Why don't they attack?"

The Doctor didn't pause whatever he was doing. "Good little soldiers. Waiting for their commander."

"The child?" was Jack's surprised exclamation.

"Jamie," Nancy quietly rebutted, keeping her eyes on the crowd.

"What?" Jack asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Not 'the child'," she snapped, whirling around to glare at him. "Jamie."

From the corner of my eye I saw The Doctor tilt his head and watch her, the glint in his eye giving away that he had an idea forming. His eyes flickered to me for confirmation but I stayed quiet. He could figure it out for himself.

"So," I cleared my throat, "how long until the bomb falls?"

"Any second," Jack responded worriedly.

The Doctor glared at Jack, passing the conman to get to Nancy. "What's the matter, Captain? Bit close to the volcano for you?" he spat.

Nancy wrapped her arms around herself, staring into the distance as if trying to make sense of the entire situation. "He's just a little boy."

"I know," The Doctor comforted.

"He's just a little boy who wants his mummy," she continued, her voice starting to quiver.

"I know. There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can," he murmured back.

"What're we going to do?"

"I don't know."

Nancy sniffled, blinking tears out of her eyes. "It's my fault."

"No," he murmured comfortingly to her.

"It is. It's all my fault," she choked out.

He smiled empathetically. "How can it be your—" The gasmask people's voices rose in volume, cutting The Doctor off. He snapped around to stare at them. I could see the cogs turn in his head as he connected the pieces between Nancy's guilt and little Jamie. He turned to me, eyes wide and searching for confirmation, desperate to know he wasn't making a mistake.

I tilted my head toward him just enough so he could see me nod. A small smile broke his tense expression and he turned back to Nancy. "Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty-one? Older than you look, yes?"

Nearby, a bomb crashed to the ground. We all jerked at the sound. Jack's voice shook at he spoke, "Doctor- that bomb. We've got _seconds_." Another bomb fell, this one closer than the first.

I let his terrified statement hang in the air for several long seconds before acknowledging where I knew his mind was lingering. "We know you can't take us with you, Jack," I said apathetically. "It's Volcano Day. Do what ya gotta do." I gave him an unimpressed look over my shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry," Jack appealed. "The Nav-Com's back online. It would take too long to override it again."

I shrugged and turned back to The Doctor and Nancy. This time I heard him teleport away.

The Doctor glanced at me caringly, reaching over to clasp my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Placing my hand on top of his, I reassured him, "I'm fine. He's coming back anyway, so there's no need to be upset."

Rolling his eyes, The Doctor scoffed, "I highly doubt that."

I smirked. "I didn't know you knew the future, Doctor. Perhaps you should enlighten me as to how this all ends."

He grinned and kissed my cheek. "I have a theory." Then he whipped back around to Nancy. "How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway."

Still sobbing quietly, Nancy glanced at him before quickly looking away in shame.

"He's not your brother, is he?" The Doctor urged.

She nodded, clutching her arms around her body.

"A teenage single mother in 1941. So you hid. You lied."

Again she nodded.

"You even lied to him," The Doctor murmured.

The gates swung open with identical shrieks. Jamie led his makeshift army through the gates with the soft, unassuming battle cry of, "Are you my mummy?"

"He's gonna keep asking, Nancy. He's never gonna stop. Tell him," The Doctor insisted, staring at Nancy with the most understanding eyes I had ever seen. A knot welled in my throat along with tears in my eyes, not in jealousy, but because I could see how desperate he was getting. He wanted this day to end happily. He wanted that more than anything in the word right now, and it broke my heart to know how few days like this there would be.

"Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me . . . and tell him." Nancy didn't seem to be paying attention, only continuing to stare miserably at Jamie as he marched toward us, so The Doctor lightly pushed her forward.

Jamie stared at Nancy. "Are you my mummy?"

Choking down her sobs, Nancy whispered, "Yes." It was almost too soft to hear but then she added, more firmly, "Yes. I _am_ your mummy." She finally faced him, her jaw set in determination, even if tears still slipped down her cheeks.

Tiny Jamie took several steps toward her. "Mummy?" he asked eagerly.

"I'm here," Nancy cooed.

Whatever recognition that had been there faded from Jamie's voice. "Are you my mummy?"

Nancy kneeled in front of her son. "I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"Yes."

The Doctor looked at the mother and son miserably and resignedly commented, "He doesn't understand. There's not enough of him left."

I didn't say anything, just watched and listened to Nancy try to convince Jamie of who she was. "I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry," she insisted, hugging Jamie close to her body.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I saw both of them glow with a golden light. Letting out the air in a whoosh of relief, I excitedly turned to watch The Doctor's reaction.

He warily glanced at me, but the suspicion immediately faded when a grin spread across his face that was soon mirrored by one of his own. Whipping back to Nancy and Jamie, he eagerly muttered, "Come on, please. Come on, you _clever_ little nanogenes. Figure it out! The mother. She's the mother! There's gotta be enough information. Figure it out!"

An individual nanogene floated above the others, brighter than the rest. "It's recognizing the DNA," I whispered in awe. Nancy swayed briefly before collapsing; the nanogene cloud vanished. The Doctor and I rushed to Nancy and Jamie's sides. The Doctor was staring down at Jamie with eyes that glimmered with hope, and praying under his breath, the same thing over and over: "Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one." The Doctor grasped the gasmask and tugged on it, easily removing it and revealing the confused five year old underneath. Grinning ecstatically, The Doctor lifted Jamie high over his head, causing him to giggle happily. He hugged Jamie to him in a near bone-crushing hug. "Ah-ha-ha! Welcome back! Twenty years 'til pop music. You're gonna love it."

Kneeling beside Nancy to help her up, I nearly choked on the knot in my throat when I realized how much The Doctor looked like a celebrating father . . . and how much I liked that idea.

"What happened?" Nancy asked in confusion and astonishment, not taking her eyes off of Jamie as she stumbled to her feet.

"The nanogenes recognized the superior information. The parent DNA. They didn't change _you_ because _you_ changed them!" Handing Jamie to Nancy, The Doctor gripped my hand and jerked me toward him until I was completely pressed against him. "Mother knows best!" he chirped before capturing my mouth in a kiss that stole the air from my lungs in the greatest way possible.

I was panting when we broke apart, and licked our mixed saliva off my lips before gasping out, "And of course the bomb's taken care of, thanks to psychology."

He grinned flirtatiously. "Yes, it is."

I didn't need to look to see the bomb hurling toward us. I also didn't need to look to see it be snatched up in glowing force field, but I did anyway.

Jack lurched into view, straddling the bomb. "Doctor!" he called out.

"Good lad!" The Doctor shouted back, still clutching me close to him.

"The bomb's already commenced detonation," Jack informed us urgently. "I've put it in stasis but it won't last long."

The Doctor beamed. "Change of plan! Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it? Safely as you can."

Jack nodded and, by the set of his jaw, I could tell he had decided what he was going to do, even if it would cost him his own life. "Dahlia?"

I removed myself from The Doctor and edge closer to Jack, beaming up at him. "Don't worry, Jack. We'll see each other again sooner than you think, so don't get too down."

He gave me a sad smile, and I knew he thought he was going to die soon. Grin still firmly in place, I said, "You worry too much, Jack." Jack shook his head and disappeared. He didn't reappear to comment on my shirt. I didn't exactly know how to feel about that.

Movement caught my eye. The Doctor was gazing at his hands, which glowed with summoned nanogenes. Nancy watched him from over the top of Jamie's head with a puzzled expression. "What're you doing?"

The Doctor slowly walked toward the crowded gasmask people. "Software patch. Gonna e-mail the upgrade!" Flinging his hands outwards, The Doctor scattered the nanogenes at them; the gasmask people were surrounded by the robots and collapsed to the ground as the nanogenes began repairing their DNA.

The Doctor grinned at me like a child at Christmas. The pure happiness he exuded made me mirror his grin until my face started hurting, and even then I couldn't stop.

"Everybody lives, Dahlia. Just this once. Everybody lives!" he exclaimed, jerking me forward again for another fierce kiss.

The patients stood, all of them looking around and asking questions in confusion. In a shining cloud, the nanogenes flew off to the rest of London to (hopefully) repair the damage to the rest of the population.

The Doctor pulled me along over to Dr. Constantine. "Doctor Constantine, who never left his patients. Back on your feet, constant doctor! World doesn't wanna get by without you just yet, and I don't blame it one bit." Pausing to make a sweeping gesture to the cured patients, he said, "These are your patients. All better now."

Constantine gave a puzzled look around at everyone and their surroundings and replied, "Yes, yes . . . so it seems. They also seem to be standing around in a disused railway station. Is there any particular reason for that?"

The Doctor shrugged his confusion off with a grin. "Yeah, well, you know, cutbacks. Listen, whatever was wrong with them in the past, you're probably gonna find that they're cured. Just tell them what a great doctor you are. Don't make a big thing of it. Okay?" He bound back to the med ship and climbed on top of it. "Right, you lot! Lots to do! Beat the Germans. Save the world. Don't forget the Welfare State!"

Dr. Constantine, ceasing his herding of his patients, glanced over his shoulder at The Doctor, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's he doing?"

"Setting this to self-destruct, soon as everybody's clear. History says there was an explosion here. Who are we to argue with history?" I answered, smiling cheekily.

The Doctor laughed boisterously, continuing to reprogram the Chula ship's console. "Usually we're the first in line!"

* * *

"The nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to. Nancy and Jamie will go to Doctor Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered. Fantastic!" The Doctor chatted away happily as we walked back to the TARDIS. He hadn't stopped grinning since we left the bomb site.

Then, for the third time that night, I was taken by the hand and jerked forward. This time, however, I was pressed up against the TARSIS. The Doctor bent down and kissed me, animatedly talking between short pecks. "Everybody lives . . . Everybody lives, Dahlia!" He shoved the TARDIS doors open and pulled me up the ramp toward the console. "I need more days like this. Go on, ask me anything. I'm on _fire_!"

Smiling, I opened my mouth to ask the scripted question, but the flash of fear in The Doctor's eyes made me pause. Why would he be afraid? He had no reason to be . . . unless he believed he had just given me the perfect opportunity to try and weasel his real feelings for me out of him and hadn't realized it until it was too late.

"Everybody lives?" I asked patiently.

He swallowed thickly, eyes darting around my face, wondering if I actually wasn't going to prod. After a few seconds of silence, he said quietly, earnestly, "Everybody lives." He immediately turned to the console and wildly started pressing buttons and pulling levers. I rushed to the opposite side to help. The TARDIS' engines flared up and minutes later, we were on Jack's ship. I didn't hesitate to throw the door open and call out, "Well? Hurry up!" I returned to The Doctor, who was eagerly waiting to practice dancing with me. Moonlight Serenade played softly from a speaker on the console.

Jack burst through the open door in record time; he skidded to a stop on the ramp and his mouth fell open in shock at the TARDIS' interior.

The Doctor snorted, "Jack! Shut the door! Your ship is about to blow up, there's going to be a draft!" Then he attempted to spin me around but we ended up getting tangled together, and not in a comfortable way.

"Okay, okay!" I winced, twitching my shoulder to try and relieve the pressed. The Doctor released me immediately. "Let's try this again and this time, no half-nelsons."

The Doctor scowled, stepping to the console to program our new destination. "I'm _sure_ I used to know this stuff."

I rolled my eyes. "Well don't look at me for help. The best dancing I've ever done is swaying in a circle or side to side."

"Welcome to the TARDIS," The Doctor greeted Jack.

"I'm impressed. It's much bigger on the inside."

"You'd better be," I smirked. "And you mean she."

Jack frowned. "She?"

The Doctor answered for me, "The TARDIS is sentient, ergo- she."

Laughing, Jack joined us at the console. "So," he drawled, raising both eyebrows, "TARDIS? Does that stand for something?"

"Time And Relative Dimensions In Space." I smirked.

"This is a spaceship and a time machine?" Jack asked in amazement. "That's . . . ."

"Impressive?"

Jack smirked. "Very impressive."

The Doctor paused. He sent me a look over the console before shrugging. "I guess he isn't so bad."

* * *

**Another chapter down! Hope you guys liked it and I can't wait for your feedback!**


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